CHEMISTRY. 499 



Six analyses gave results varying between .026 and. 043 per cent, carbon. 

 {Am. Chem. Journ., vi, 153.) 



Eesearches on Titanium Compounds, by Otto Freiherr v. d. Pfordteu. — 

 Ebelmen obtained TiS? by heating together titanium chloride and sul- 

 phuretted hydrogen; the author obtains TiS in small crystals by heat- 

 ing the disulphide in a current of hydrogen, carefully excluding oxy- 

 gen. The former is yellow, the latter black in color. Attempts to 

 reduce TiO^ in a similar way yielded only the indigo-blue oxide TisOg 

 discovered by Deville. The author noticed the formation of gelatinous 

 titanic acid, analogous to the silicium compound, noticed by H. Rose in 

 his investigations. [Berichte d. chem. Ges., xvii, 727.) 



Extraction of Ccesiuin and Rubidium from Hebron Lepidolite, by F. C. 

 Robinson and C. C. Hutchins. — The authors recommend mixing the 

 powdered mineral with an equal weight of flu or spar and heating the 

 mixture for some hours in a sand-bath with strong sulphuric acid. 

 When cold the mass is broken up, lixiviated and filtered. The filtrate 

 contains the Cs, Rb, and K as alums, which are easily separated by their 

 great dilierences in solubility at 17°. One thousand grams lepidolite 

 yielded about 30 grams caesium and rubidium alums. {Am. Chem. 

 Journ., VI, 74.) 



Electrolytic Magnesium. — Adolph Gratzel, of Hannover, Prussia, has 

 devised a method of i^reparing pure magnesium on a large scale by the 

 electrolysis of carnallite. Thid mineral, which abounds in the upper 

 part of the salt formation at Stassfurt, consists essentially of the chlo- 

 rides of magnesium and potassium with water, and contains from 31 to 

 30 i)er cent, of MgCla. At the session of the German Chemical Society 

 in Berlin held March 10, 1884, Dr. Gratzel exhibited a bar of magnesium 

 weighing one-half kilogram and of great purity. The absence of sodium 

 is especially noted, a metal present in all commercial magnesium hith- 

 erto made. The electrolytic magnesium does not decompose water at 

 ordinary temperatures. If the new process will furnish magnesium in 

 abundance at a loW' price, the imi)ortance of this discovery Avill be very 

 great. {Berichte d. chem. Ges.) 



Magnesium Hydrosulphide Solution as a tiource of Hydrogen Sulphide, 

 by E. Divers and Tetsukichi Shimidzu. — The authors wishing to obtain 

 a regular stream of pure hydrogen sulphide found that this could be 

 effected by gently heating a solution of magnesium hydrosulphide. 

 Ordinary hydrogen sulphide (from ferrous sulphide and hydrochloric 

 acid) is passed into water containing magnesia in suspension. The gas 

 is absorbed and the magnesia dissolves. On heating the colorless so- 

 lution to 60°-G5° it gives out a steady current of hydrogen sulphide, 

 free from hydrogen and fro:u hydrogen arsenide. Tiie magnesia which 

 is precipitated during the evolution of the gas may be again used iu the 

 preparation of the magnesium hydrosulphide. {Chem. lieics, l, 233.) 



