MISCELLANY. 
■ 
Adulteration of Musk. — Mr. Periera, in his lectures on Materia Medica, 
states that at the present time, musk is not much adulterated, though 
sand, stones, &c. are sometimes found in it. He also thinks that where 
musk pods show the marks of having- been sewed, that this has been done 
to prevent the loss of the musk, rather than to close an aperture which 
had been made for the purpose of introducing impurities. 
One of the best tests for genuine musk is, that an infusion of it 
does not precipitate a solution of corrosive sublimate. Both Berzelius 
and Geiger lay great stress on this test. Dr. A. T. Thomson, however, 
asserts exactly the reverse of this. Other tests for the purity of this ar- 
ticle, are, the precipitation of an infusion of genuine musk by the acids, 
especially the nitric ; by sugar of lead and infusion of galls. 
London Med. Gaz. Dec. 1835. 
Essence of Musk. — Take of grain musk fourteen drachms, or of the mem- 
branes of the musk pods, seven ounces; boiling water half a pint. Digest 
until cold, then add rectified spirit of wine, six and a half pints ; sub- 
carbonate of potash, half a drachm. Ibid. 
Caoutchouc. — At the meeting of the British Association, 1835, Dr. Dal- 
lon stated the results of his examination of the spirit distilled from 
caoutchouc. He found it to depress the barometer like sulphuric ether. 
It passes through water without diminishing its volume ; thus differing 
from ether. It is absorbed by water like olefiant gas. It consists of 2, 
defiant gas ; 10 volumes, when burned, give 40 carbonic acid, and re- 
. quire 60 of oxygen. Edin. New P kilos. Journ. Oct. 1835. 
Compounds of Tin and Platinum. — At the same meeting, Mr. Kane de- 
scribed two compounds of tin and platinum, formed by the action of pro- 
tochloride of tin on a solution of platinum. One of these compounds con- 
sists of an atom of each chloride. It deliquesces in the air ; it is a dark 
solid substance when anhydrous, and when allowed to remain in the air 
is converted into an olive liquor, which is resolved into the oxides by the 
action of water. The author also suggested that tin is a good test for 
platinum. Ibid. 
VOL. II. — jno. i. 11 
