76  Influence  of  Carh.  of  Ammonia,  etc. 
personally,  proved  very  slow  to  give  information,  but  from  their  con- 
versation I  judge  that  they  preserve  their  collections  on  the  general 
principles  above  specified. 
It  is  a  matter  of  sincere  regret  with  me  that  I  have  been  unable  to 
do  more  than  the  foregoing  towards  the  solution  6f  Query  23,  for 
1868 ;  but  I  feel  sufficient  interest  in  the  question  not  to  let  it  rest 
where  it  now  stands,  and  shall  do  all  in  my  power  to  give  a  better 
answer  at  the  next  meeting  of  the  Association. — Proc.  Amer.  Pharm. 
Assoc.,  1870. 
ON  THE    INFLUEN-GB  OP   CA.RBONATE  OF  AMMONIA  UPON 
SULPHATE  OF  STRONTIA  AND  SULPHATE  OF  BARYTA. 
By  J  Reinsch. 
Equivalent  quantities  of  carbonate  of  ammonia  and  sulphate  of 
strontia  (ccelestin)  with  the  requisite  quantity  of  water,  were  put  into 
a  flask  and  set  aside  at  ordinary  temperature ;  4n  a  short  time  small 
bubbles  of  gas  were  observed  and  a  fine  white  powder  deposited  upon 
the  bluish  coelestin.  The  mixture  in  another  flask,  prepared  in  like 
manner  with  carbonate  of  ammonia  and  sulphate  of  baryta  (heavy 
spar)  likewise  evolved  gas,  and  the  liquid  became  turbid.  After  stand- 
ing for  eight  days  at  ordinary  temperature,  the  con^ents  of  both  flasks 
were  digested  at  a  temperature  of  60°  C.  (140°  F.),  when  carbonic  acid 
gas  was  copiously  evolved,  which  from  the  strontia  mixture  had  a  pe- 
culiar odor  of  horse-radish. 
After  the  coelestin  had  been  entirely  converted  into  a  white  powder, 
the  liquid,  now  almost  free  from  odor,  was  filtered  off*  and  proved  to 
be  a  solution  of  sulphate  of  ammonia,  while  the  insoluble  portion  con- 
sisted of  carbonate  of  strontia  with  a  little  silica  and  alumina.  The 
sulphate  of  baryta  had  been  converted  into  a  much  softer  snow-white 
powder  of  the  same  composition,  and  the  liquid  was  free  from  sulphuric 
acid.  Though  carbonate  of  baryta  seems  to  have  been  formed,  this 
was  instantly  reconverted  into  sulphate. 
The  author  recommends  this  method  of  separating,  for  analytical 
purposes,  the  alkaline  earths  by  converting  them  into  sulphates  and 
digesting  these  compounds  with  carbonate  of  ammonia,  when  lime  and 
strontia,  having  been  converted  into  carbonates,  may  be  obtained  in 
solution  by  dilute  acids,  while  sulphate  of  baryta  is  left  behind. — N, 
Jalirh.f.  Pharm.,  1870,  July  11-13.  J.  M.  M. 
