136 ADULTERATION OP IODIDE OF POTASSIUM 
Struck with these singular results, and supposing, besides, 
that hippuric acid might also be found in the excrements of 
birds with which we are more familiar, and that if skilful 
chemists have not met with it, it is probably owing to their 
not having looked for it, 1 am now undertaking a series of 
analyses of the excrements of granivorous, piscivorous, and 
carnivorous birds, being persuaded that investigations of 
this kind, properly directed, may give rise to physiological 
considerations and deductions of high importance. 
When my experiments are completed, I will do myself 
the honor of communicating to you the results. — Ibicl from 
ibid. 
ART. XXXVIII.— ADULTERATION OF IODIDE OF POTASSIUM 
WITH CARBONATE OF POTASSA. Extract of a letter from M. 
Destouches to M. Boudet. 
M. Rivaud, a distinguished pharmacien of Saumur, wish- 
ing to notice the adulteration (by voluntary fraud or ignor- 
ance) of a chemical product sent to him from Paris, lias 
requested me to examine it simultaneously with himself; 
he has sent me a bottle, bearing the seal and address of M. 
Paton, pharmacien at Batignolles, and labelled Iodide of 
Potassium. 
This iodide is amorphous, and run into plates after the 
manner of cautery stone. It is of a milky white ; the taste 
is pungent and alkaline. It quickly restores to blue power- 
fully reddened litmus paper : it effervesces with the feeble 
acids ; it does not contain chloride ; the alteration is due to 
carbonate of potassa. 
In order to determine the intrinsic value of this product, 
it was compared with pure iodide of potassium, procured 
from the firm of Robiquet and Co. 
