CHEMISTRY. 203 



chloride of niUogen, and other similar compounds. Comptes 

 Eendus. 



Action of Chlorine, on Metallic Sodium. Wanklyn finds that 

 when chlorine gas is passed over metallic sodium, even when 

 the metal is in a state of fusion, no chemical action takes place. 



Chemical Netvs, No. 271. 



Purification of Bisulphide of Carbon. Cloez purifies the ordinary 

 bisulphide of carbon of commerce by treating with half a per 

 cent, of corrosive sublimate, and allowing it to remain in contact 

 with it with occasional shaking for 24 hours. The clear liquid is 

 then decanted, mixed with 2 per cent, by weight of some inodo- 

 rous fat, and distilled at a low temperature. 



Solid Sulphide of Carbon. Herr v. Wartha has obtained sul- 

 phide of carbon in the solid state in the form of cauliflower-like 

 masses, by rapid evaporation under the influence of a quick 

 current of air, in the same manner as solid carbonic acid is formed 

 as a substance resembling snow by the extreme cold caused by 

 the rapid evaporation of the liquid acid. If the evaporation of 

 the sulphide of carbon takes place under water, the water is 

 changed to ice, and the whole assumes a temperature of 13 C. 

 (_|_9F.), which is the same temperature at which the solid 

 sulphide of carbon melts. Academy. 



Cane Sugar in the Madder Boot. Stein has proved the presence 

 of cane sugar in the madder by treating the root with 80 per cent, 

 alcohol, and adding absolute alcohol to the residue after the dis- 

 tillation of three-quarters of the liquid in a current of carbonic 

 acid ; there is precipitated a black syrupy mass, and the alcohol 

 liquid separated from this mass deposits crystals of sugar, the 

 amount of which may be increased by the addition of ether. 

 The composition, the crystalline form, and the rotating power of 

 this sugar when purified, are identical with those of cane sugar. 

 There is also contained in the root an uncrystallizable sugar. 



Jour, fur prak. Chemie. 



Combination of Hydrogen and Sulphur. It is a mistake to sup- 

 pose that hydrogen does not combine directly with sulphur. 

 When a stream of hydrogen is passed over boiling sulphur, sul- 

 phuretted hydrogen is produced in abundance, as may be readily 

 proved by passing the gas into a solution of copper or of lead. 



Ber. deutsch. chem. Qcs. 



Formation of Sulphuretted Hydrogen. When a current of steam 

 is passed over boiling sulphur, the odor of sulphuretted hydrogen 

 becomes immediately perceptible, and the water which is con- 

 densed has an acid reaction from the presence of pentathionic 

 acid ; to distinguish this acid from hyposnlphurous (dithionic) 

 acid, a solution of chromic acid may be employed. This reagent 

 produces a brown coloration or precipitate with dithionic acid, 

 while with pentathionic acid no coloration is produced. The 

 reaction may be expressed as follows : 



10S + 6H 2 O H 2 S 5 O 6 -{- 5H 2 S. 



Bull. Soc. Chem. June, 1870. 



Trinkerite, a newly discovered Fossil Eesin. Dr. G. T. Tschermak. 

 The author states that the resin, alluded to is found in compact 

 masses in the braunkohle formation, near Carpano and Albona, 



