ART. XLVII.- Discovery of two more new Planets; by C. H. F. PETERS. (From a letter to the Editors, dated Litchfield Observatory of Hamilton College, Clinton, N. Y., October 5, 1878.

Two more planetoids have been discovered here, one on September 22d, and the other on September 30th. In order to avoid confusion, as the numbers perhaps may yet suffer some change, I have given immediately names to them, calling the former Ismene, the latter Kolga. The planet discovered on September 9, I have named Phthia.

The following observations have been obtained:

The strong motion of the last planet in declination discards the idea of its being identical with [162] Laurentia, which was observed only in one appearance, and has not been found, neither in the preceding nor in the present opposition. The numbers attributed to the last two planets therefore are upon the assumption, that the planet found by Professor Watson on Sept. 22d also is not identical with [162].

ART. XLVIII.-The Sonorous Voltameter;* by THOMAS A. EDISON, Ph.D.

THE sonorous or bubble voltameter consists of an electrolytic cell with two electrodes, one in free contact with a standard decomposable solution and the other completely insulated by vulcanized rubber except two small apertures, one of which gives the solution free access to the insulated electrode, and the other allows the escape of bubbles of hydrogen as they are evolved by electrolysis. With a given current and a given resistance a bubble is obtained each second, which is seen at the moment of rising and which at the same time gives a sound when it reaches the air. The resistance may be reduced so as to give

* Read at the St. Louis meeting of the American Association.

one bubble in one, five, ten or fifty seconds, or in as many hours. I have compared this instrument with the ordinary voltameter and find it much more accurate. By the use of a very small insulated electrode and but one aperture, through which both the gas and water current must pass, great increase of resistance takes place at the moment when the bubble is forming; and just before it rises, a sounder magnet included within the battery circuit opens, closing again when the bubble escapes, thus allowing by means of a Morse register the time of each bubble to be recorded automatically. This apparatus, when properly made, will be found very reliable and useful in some kinds of work, such as measuring the electro-motive force of batteries, etc. By shunting the voltameter, and using a recorder, it becomes a measurer not only of the current passing at the time, but also of that which has passed through a circuit from any source during a given interval.

Menlo Park, N. J., July 13, 1878.

SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE.

I. CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS.

1. On the Behavior of Hydrogen peroxide with the Alkalies.In his second paper on hydrogen peroxide, SCHÖNE discusses the relations of this substance to the alkalies, with particular reference to the decomposing action of these upon the peroxide; an action classed as "catalytic" by Berzelius. His first efforts were directed to the production of peroxide hydrates of the alkalies analogous to those of the alkaline earths. For this purpose a solution of hydorgen peroxide containing three or four per cent, was mixed with a ten per cent sodium hydrate solution in equivalent proportions. A rise of 4° to 5° C. took place, with a very slight evolution of gas. On concentrating the solution in a vacuum, efflorescent crystals separated on the edges at first, and then large tabular crystals formed in the solution. If instead of evaporating the solution, once and a half or twice its volume of absolute alcohol be added, and it be allowed to stand in a cool place for twenty-four hours, spear-shaped crystals often several centimeters long, appear in the solution. On analysis they give numbers agreeing with the formula Na,O,. (H,O). They are identical with those obtained later by Fairley* in the same manner, and with those obtained by Vernon Harcourt by solution of sodium dioxide in water. When rapidly heated in a glass tube the crystals melt, froth, evolve oxygen and leave sodium hydrate. In closed vessels, the same decomposition takes place more slowly, requiring three months for completion. Absolute alcohol preserves it pretty well, if carbon dioxide be excluded. On examining the efflorescence above + Id., xiv, 274, 1862,

* J. Chem. Soc., xxxi, 1, 125, 1877.

mentioned, it was found to be a mixture of the substance already described and of another substance having the formula Na,H,O, or Na,O,(H,O,),, a compound of sodium peroxide with hydrogen peroxide. To prepare it, a mixture of one molecule of sodium bydrate and about three and a half molecules of hydrogen peroxide solution are mixed and evaporated in vacuo. The crystals are colorless and very minute; are at first transparent, very soluble in water, dissolve in this and in dilute acids without evolution of gas, and effloresce in dry air. In vacuo over sulphuric acid they lose four molecules of water, leaving Na,HO A similar peroxide hydrate was obtained with potassium, though mixing the solutions and evaporating gave only a yellow amorphous mixture of potassium tetroxide and potassium hydrate, K,O,+ (KOH+H,O). But if excess of hydrogen peroxide be used, and the evaporation be conducted at a low temperature -10° C., a white opaque mass results which is very hygroscopic and has the formula KHO, or K,O,(H,O,),. These facts the author uses to explain the "catalytic" action, as follows: The decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in alkaline solutions is due: 1st, to the tendency of the alkalies to form compounds of the composition RHO, or RO,. (H,O,),; 2d, to the tendency of the alkali metal within this compound to oxidize itself to a higher oxide, the tetroxide; and 3d, to the reduction of the tetroxide to dioxide by the water present.-Liebig's Annalen, cxciii, 241, August, 1878.

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G. F. B.

2. On a Series of Magnetic Compounds having the Formula R"Fe,O-Of the possible compounds of ferric oxide with the basic oxides isomorphous with ferrous oxide, only two, MgFe,O,, prepared by Deville, and ZnFe,O,, by Ebelman, both produced at high temperatures, are known. LIST has undertaken to prepare these compounds in the wet way. A ferric chloride solution as nearly neutral as possible, was precipitated with excess of lime water or of calcium saccharate, the bright leather-brown precipitate washed with lime water, filtered, dried and ignited. A dark brown friable powder, having the composition CaFe,O,, was obtained, which was strongly attracted by the magnet. Bariumferric oxide, obtained similarly, had similar properties. The magnesium compound, prepared either by adding magnesia to a neutral solution of ferric chloride or by adding potassium or sodium hydrate to mixed solutions of ferric chloride and magnesium sulphate, is a cinnamon-brown powder, strongly magnetic. Manganous, zinc, nickelous, cuprous and lead oxides yielded like magnetic compounds. Even potassium and sodium oxides, ignited with ferric oxide, yield a compound attracted by the magnet.Ber. Berl. Chem. Ges., xi, 1512, Sept., 1878.

G. F. B.

3. On the Copper-zinc couple and on Nascent Hydrogen.-In view of the fact that finely divided copper charged with hydrogen converts niter into nitrite and ammonia and reduces potassium chlorate to chloride, GLADSTONE and TRIBE have been led to study the reducing action of palladium and platinum-hydrogen and to

compare it with that of the copper-zinc couple. They also trieć copper-hydrogen and carbon-hydrogen. They find a close analogy between some actions of the copper-zinc couple, of occluded hydrogen and of the so-called nascent hydrogen, and conclude that the great power of hydrogenization and reduction of the copper-zinc couple depends on the absorption of hydrogen by the finely divided metal. The activity of the hydrogen in these cases may be explained by supposing (1) that its energy is increased by a more negative element, or (2) that the atomic condition of occluded hydrogen differs from that of ordinary hydrogen, or (3) that the increased power of the hydrogen is due to its condensed condition. Since in those changes effected by nascent hydrogen, the gas is set free in contact with a metal which condenses it, the authors incline to the opinion that the activity of nascent hydrogen is due only to its occluded condition.-J. Chem. Soc., xxxiii, 306, Aug., 1878.

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G. F. B.

4. On the Action of Nitrous acid on Unsaturated Hydrocarbons.-TÖNNIES has observed that when a concentrated solution of potassium nitrite is mixed with a solution of an unsaturated hydrocarbon in glacial acetic acid, products are obtained which analysis shows to be direct addition products of the hydrocarbon and N,O,. Thus furfurbutylene gives a beautifully crystallized compound CHO. N,O,, phenylbutylene gives C, Í ̧ ̧.Ñ ̧O̟ ̧, and styrol, totylbutylene, anethol and amylene give similar bodies. On reduction, these bodies give bases which contain in the place of the NO, group, an amido and an hydroxyl group. Thus the furfurbutylene compound affords a well crystallized hydrochlorate CHO.OH.NH,.HCl, and the phenylbutylene compound gives CH.OH.NH, HCl. Hence the nitrous oxide, NO, splits into NO and ONO, so that the compound may be considered a nitrososubstitution product, on the one side, and a nitrous ether on the other. With this view the results of reduction agree, the nitrososubstitution product being always converted into an amido-compound, and the nitrous ether into an alcohol.-Ber. Berl. Chem. Ges., xi, 1511, September, 1878.

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G. F. B.

5. On the Production of Methyl Aldehyde.-The method originally described by HOFMANN for preparing methyl aldehyde consisted in passing the vapor of methyl alcohol mixed with air over an ignited platinum spiral. Later Volhard, producing the aldehyde by condensing the vapors from an aphlogistic lamp fed with methyl alcohol, showed that the condensed liquid contained only one per cent. Hofmann has now devised an improved method of preparation which consists in passing a suitable mixture of methyl alcohol vapor and air through a platinum tube containing a bundle of platinum wires, moderately heated. Abundance of methyl aldehyde is formed and on condensing the vapors a liquid is obtained which contains not less than five per cent of this substance. Since the process is continuous, large quantities may thus be prepared. By removing the alcohol by distillation and the water by freezing the liquid may be concentrated so as to contain ten per

cent of methyl aldehyde.-Ber. Berl. Chem. Ges., xi, 1685, September, 1878.

G. F. B.

6. On the Determination of Phenol volumetrically.-DEGENER has proposed a method for the volumetric estimation of phenol based upon the fact that bromine in aqueous solution acts upon phenol dissolved in water producing tribromphenol and hydrogen bromide: CHOH+ (Br2),= CH ̧Br ̧OH+(HBr),. On adding the bromine water, the solution at first is clear; but soon it becomes turbid and finally on continued agitation, a snow-white voluminous curdy precipitate, consisting of fine interlacing needles, is thrown down, leaving the liquid clear. The slightest excess of bromine is recognized by potassium iodide and starch paper. To estimate an amount of phenol, up to five per cent, it is sufficient to add one drop of a bromine solution in excess containing forty grams bromine and half as much potassium bromide in a liter, provided the titered fluid does not exceed forty to fifty cubic centimeters. The titer of this bromine water, which varies from day to day, is fixed by adding a known quantity to a solution of potassium iodide, and titering the iodine set free with sodium. hyposulphite. A series of experiments with phenol showed the process to be accurate to 0.12 per cent.-J. prakt. Ch., II, xvii, 390, July, 1878.

G. F. B.

7. Vanillin in Gum Benzoin from Siam.-JANNASCH and RUMP have succeeded in preparing vanillin from the gum benzoin of Siam, in which gum it was first discovered by the latter chemist. The finely divided gum is intimately mixed with half its weight of calcium hydrate in an iron vessel, water being added to make a stiff paste. Ten or twelve times the quantity of boiling water is added with continued stirring, the solution is freed from benzoic acid by acidifying it, and the acid filtrate is extracted with ether. On evaporation of the ether, impure vanillin is left. After recrystallization from water, it is soluble in ether, alcohol, chloroform, glacial acetic acid, less so in cold benzene, crystallizing from all in prismatic crystals. It fuses at 81°, reddens litmus when in solution, expels carbon dioxide from carbonates forming salts, gives a dirty green or violet color with ferric chloride, has the taste and odor of vanilla and precipitates lead acetate and silver nitrate. Purified by hydrosodium sulphite its analysis gave numbers agreeing with those of vanillin. Petroleum ether, boiling point below 90°, dissolves it abundantly when hot, scarcely at all when cold. It crystallizes from this solvent on cooling in splendid groups of long highly refracting prisms of considerable size.—Ber. Berl. Chem. Ges., xi, 1634, September, 1878.

G. F. B.

8. On the Alkaloids of the Aconites.-WRIGHT and LUFF, in their third and concluding paper on the alkaloids of the aconites, discuss, (1) the action of saponifying agents on aconitine, (2) the action of acids on aconitine, (3) the action of organic anhydrides on aconitine, aconine and pseudaconine, (4) the decomposition products of picraconitine, and (5) the alkaloid constituents of aconite roots generally. As a result of their investigations they

AM. JOUR. SCI.-THIRD SERIES, VOL. XVI, No. 95.-Nov., 1878.