264 PROCEEDIWGS OF SECTION S. 



quantity of minute crystals of magnesium (?) : the metal in 

 the boat had not fused. There are two ways we may possibly 

 explain this apparent volatility of magnesium below its 

 melting point — first, that magnesium heated in contact with 

 hydrogen forms a volatile hydride, easily decomposable : 

 second, that magnesium is considerably more volatile in 

 hydrogen than in other gases, i.e., carbon monoxide and 

 sulphur dioxide. The first hypothesis seems to me the most 

 plausible. 



Another curious fact in this connection is the following. 

 If a coil of magnesium ribbon (that used for lamps) be taken 

 and gently squeezed in a vice or between the fingers, the 

 metal emits a strong odour reminding one of phosphine. 

 Yet the metal before the pressure has no smell. 



3.— NOTE ON THE ELECTROLYSIS OF THE SALTS 

 OF ORGANIC BASES. 



By J. B. KIRKLAND, F.C.S., Assistant Lecturer and Demonstrator of 

 Chemistry, University of Melbourne. 



So far as I am aware, no attempt has hitherto been made to 

 electrolyse the fused salts of organic bases. This is probably 

 on account of their unstable character towards heat, the 

 majority of them undergoing decomposition before fusion. 

 However, I have at my command one that can be fused 

 without decomposition, and, as it happens, from the powerful 

 basic properties possessed by the radicle it contains, is 

 one of great interest, — namely, tetraethylphosphonium iodide, 

 P(C„H5)4l; my object being to note whether the fused 

 salt would be an electrolyte, and if so, the nature of the 

 products of decomposition, and further, to try and discover 

 if there was any chance of obtaining the free radicle 

 (P'Eit^)^. A few grains of the salt was placed in a wide test 

 tube, and closed with an mdia-rubber stopper, provided with 

 two glass tubes for the passage of gas, also with two plati- 

 num electrodes long enough to touch the bottom of the tube. 

 The air in the tube was displaced with dry hydrogen for 

 some time, and the tube carefully heated in an air bath ; the 

 platinum electrodes were placed in circuit with a battery and 

 tangent galvanometer. 



While the salt remained solid no current passed, then just 

 at the point of fusion 290° C. the galvanometer gave indica- 



