SOME REMARKS ON CRYSTALS CONTAINING Fluid. BY J. B. DANCER, F.R.A.S.

The author gave a brief history of the discovery of fluids in crystals, including Sir H. Davy's chemical experiments on the fluids and gasses obtained from the cavities in quartz crystals; Sir David Brewster's discovery of the pressure cavities in the diamond, ruby, emerald, amethyst, chrysoberyl, &c.; the existence of minute crystals in these cavities and the two new and remarkable fluids, which are immiscible, but sometimes found together in the same cavity-one a liquid hydrocarbon, named Brewstoline, the other Cryptoline; his experiments and examination of artificial crystals deposited from aqueous solutions; his examination of the Koh-i-noor diamond and others in the East India Company's museum; and the geological speculations to which these discoveries gave rise. Mr. Dancer mentioned the experiments of his late father and others in producing artificial gems by intense heat, and stated that his own attention was drawn to this subject some twenty-four years since, by Sir David Brewster presenting him with a specimen of topaz containing fluid. Since that time he had examined a large number of crystals, of various kinds, from the collections of friends; and had found fluid in quartz from South America, Norway, the Alps, Ireland, Snowdon, and the Isle of Man; and in fluor spar from Derbyshire; this latter specimen contained a considerable quantity of fluid, which burst the crystal at 180° temperature.* He suggested the employment of the microscope as a valuable assistance in detecting spurious from real gems; very few of the latter are perfect, and the flaws and cavities are so distinct in character from those which are so abundant generally in artificial gems that very little experience is sufficient for the purpose. This mode of testing of course is limited to transparent crystals, but might be employed when the usual methods are not practicable. He also mentioned Mr. Sorby's (F.R.S.) discovery of fluid cavities in the quartz of granite, in the quartz of volcanic rocks, and also in the feldspar ejected from the crater of Vesu

*After this paper was written, Sir David Brewster informed the author that the fluid contained in crystals of fluor spar was water, and that the cavities burst at a temperature of 150°.

vius, and Mr. Sorby's method of determining the temperature at which various rocks and minerals are formed. At the conclusion of the meeting, crystals containing fluid were exhibited under the microscope, and the expansion of the fluid by elevating the temperature of the crystal whilst under examination.Chem. News, March, 1868.

ON CRYSTALLIZATION OF SULPHUR.

An interesting experiment has been made by M. Schützenberger upon the crystallization of sulphur. He filled a mattrass of a capacity of 150 or 200 grammes, with refined sulphur, commercially pure, so that when fused the liquid occupied the whole of the space below the neck; the upper part of the neck was drawn out into a capillary tube which was twisted several times, but left freely open to the atmosphere. The sulphur being melted in a bath of oil heated to 120°, the flask was placed in water heated to 95°. In these conditions the sulphur remains perfectly fluid for hours, even when occasionally moved and drawn out of the hot water. If the temperature be made to fall very slowly, transparent crystals, possessing the same density as the melted sulphur, form either on the surface or in the midst of the fluid at about 90°. The mass of crystals gradually augments, but with great slowness; sometimes they are isolated, at others united in groups of two, three, four, &c. The amount of crystals being considered sufficient to separate them, the mattrass is sharply inverted, so as to cool and solidify the melted sulphur in the neck. Thus the crystals are separated from the rest of the sulphur, and only remain suspended by their peaks. They are transparent, and remain so indefinitely; in form they are octahedral, and bear close resemblance to natural crystals. Measurement of the angles has confirmed their identity. The experiment is surer when two or three drops of sulphide of carbon are added to the sulphur before fusion; the phenomenon takes place, how ́ever, independently of this admixture. The results are similar to those of M. Pasteur, who observed the formation in a solution of sulphur in a hydrocarbon, first of prismatic crystals, afterwards, when the temperature was sufficiently low, of octahedra. By

this experiment of M. Schützenberger's, it is proved that melted sulphur crystallizes below 100° in octahedra of the fourth system, without the aid of any solvent. The facts will probably be turned to account in the study of the formation of natural crystals.-Lond. Chem. News, May 22, 1868.

ON THE MANUFACTURE OF PHOSPHATE OF SODA AND FLUORIDE OF SODIUM.

BY M. JEAN.

A note on the manufacture of phosphate of soda and fluoride of sodium has been published by M. Jean. The process usually adopted in the fabrication of neutral phosphate of soda consists in attacking the tribasic phosphate of lime, either in the form of nodules or calcined bones, with sulphuric acid; thus a solution of acid phosphate of lime containing some sulphate and excess of sulphuric acid is obtained. This solution of acid phosphate of lime is treated with carbonate of soda, when phosphate of soda and carbonate of lime result, but a large quantity of sulphate of soda, or otherwise of sulphate of lime, and free sulphuric acid requires separating: repeated and carefully conducted crystallizations are therefore necessary. M. Jean made experiments with a view to founding a better process.

The following are notes of experiments :-(I.) In fusing a mixture of one equivalent of tribasic phosphate of lime, two equivalents of sulphate of soda and carbon in excess, and extracting with cold water, a strongly sulphurous liquor containing phosphate of soda was obtained. The residue, chiefly oxysulphide of calcium, contained about two-thirds of the phosphate of calcium unattacked. (2.) A second experiment made with three equivalents of sulphate gave soluble acid phosphate 14 per cent., acid in an insoluble form 13.71 per cent.: with three equivalents, then, about half the phosphate is obtained in the form of neutral phosphate of soda. (3.) By increasing the amount of sulphate to six equivalents, 20.6 per cent. was the yield of soluble phosphate, while the residue contained 1.933 per cent. of acid combined with lime. M. Jean attributes this small quantity of phosphoric acid to the action of caustic lime, always present to a slight extent in the residue, upon the phosphate of soda after

lixiviation. The decomposition of the tribasic phosphate of lime into neutral phosphate of soda may then be considered complete. Unfortunately the phosphate obtained in this process is mixed with a large proportion of sulphide of sodium, rendering the separation by crystallization very difficult, and consequently destroying the industrial value of the process. The reaction has given better results in the preparation of fluoride of sodium. A mixture of 40 parts of fluoride of calcium, 80 of sulphate of soda and carbon in excess, was fused in a metal crucible. The mass exhausted with water gave a solution containing sulphide and fluoride of sodium; only a trace of hydrofluoric acid was detected in the residue, composed as before of oxysulphide of calci

um.

Another fusion was made, in which carbonate of lime was added, to endeavor if possible to remove the soluble sulphur compounds. The mixture was made of 100 parts of fluoride of calcium, 140 of carbonate of lime, 200 of sulphate of soda and carbon. In treating the mass with water, a limpid solution of fluoride of sodium was obtained quite free from sulphide. Traces of hydrofluoric acid were detected in the residue. By concentration and crystallization, fluoride of sodium in great purity is obtained. Should the application of this salt at any time become important, this process will enable fluoride of sodium to be manufactured in large quantity and at a low price.-London Chemical News, May 22, 1868.

DEATH FOLLOWING THE ADMINISTRATION OF TWOFIFTHS OF A GRAIN OF ELATERIUM.

BY A. G. CRAIG, M. D., Ghent, Ky.

On the morning of the 23d of March, 1868, I was called to see Mrs. G., aged 70 years, whom I found with dropsy, dependent on disease of the heart and liver. Her abdomen was enormously distended, and there was also considerable anasarca. She had been for several weeks, previous to this time, under the treatment of a homoeopathist, who pronounced her case to be "wind in the intestines," and promised a cure in a few weeks. I informed the family that it was not possible for her to recover; that she would live only a short time; and that all I could do

etc.

would be to give anodynes to relieve her of pain, and prolong life by the administration of diuretics, hydragogue cathartics, She was very feeble-decubitus on left side. Her skin was cool and dry; pulse 100, small, quick, and feeble; breathing slow and labored; tongue rather dry, and covered with a . yellowish coat; considerable thirst; appetite gone, and stomach so irritable that almost everything she swallowed was ejected; bowels not moved for two days, and then with castor oil. I administered to her two-fifths of a grain of elaterium, and took my departure. At four o'clock in the afternoon I was summoned to her bedside. I was informed that a few minutes after she had taken the medicine she commenced purging, and had had a dozen or more watery stools before my arrival. She was greatly prostrated, could only speak in a whisper, and as I approached her she took me by the hand and said, "Doctor, I fear you have killed me." Her pulse was scarcely perceptible. I commenced at once with the administration of stimulants, and small doses of opium, combined with the acetate of lead. Her bowels were moved every five or ten minutes-stools watery. The purging was not fully arrested until 10 o'clock, P. M. I left at midnight. She never rallied. Death took place at five o'clock, P. M., March 25th.

I report this case to warn the practitioner against commencing with the dose of elaterium recommended in the U. S. Dispensatory, 12th edition, page 364: "The full dose of commercial elaterium is often from one to two grains; but, as in this quantity it often vomits if of good quality, the best plan is to give it in the dose of a quarter or half of a grain, repeated every hour until it operates." I learned, on my second visit to this patient, that a tablespoonful of castor oil usually operated within five minutes after administration, and that the sulphate of magnesia, in an ordinary dose, purged her almost as severely as the elaterium, and produced similar dejections. It would be well for the practitioner to inquire into the idiosyncrasies of his patient before administering remedies, which I regret I neglected to do in this case. Western Journal of Medicine, May, 1868.