276 Notices of the Lahours of Continent al Chemists. 



right to translate them, in order to avoid making the report 

 as long as the memoir itself. 



Such are the conjectures which the authors have thought 

 they might publish, and which new experiments will come to 

 destroy or corroborate. They have described them without 

 any sectarian spirit, and only as physiological hypotheses, 

 which, if they are found not unworthy of mature examination, 

 may serve as guides for new experiments. 



XLVIII. Notices of the Results of the Labours of Co?itine?ital 

 Chemists. By Messrs. W. Francis and H. Croft. 



[Continued from p. 212.] 



Black Substance from Sulphuric Acid and Alcohol. 



nPHE natureof the peculiar black substance originating from 

 -* the action of sulphuric acid on alcohol was first pointed 

 out by O. Z. Erdmann, who concluded from his experiments 

 that it was composed of a substance nearly approaching the for- 

 mula C'° H^' O* S, and of an incombustible residue consisting 

 of sulphatic salts. Subsequently, L. Lose, who had obtained 

 this substance whilst preparing the istethionic salts, was in- 

 duced to examine it, and obtained somewhat different results, 



leading to the formula 27 C 21 H 6 O s! The difference 

 between these results and those of Prof. Erdmann, M. Lose 

 attributes to a portion of the substance being subtracted as 

 fixed salts, thus giving rise to a smaller amount of sulphur 

 and a larger amount of carbon and hydrogen. Recently M. 

 Erdmann has made known some new researches on this sub- 

 ject; and since, as far as we are aware, no notice has appeared 

 in England of the former inquiries, we shall make our pre- 

 sent extract rather full. 



It was prepared in the first instance by heating six parts 

 of fuming sulphuric acid, which left but a slight residue on 

 evaporation, with one of alcohol of 0*83 sp. gr. in a retort 

 till the evolved gas was no longer combustible; the residue 

 then frequently treated with boiling water of ammonia, and at 

 last washed with boiling water till the filtrated liquid no longer 

 evinced the presence of sulphuric acid. Dried in pieces it has 

 the appearance of coal, and is difficult to pulverize. On com- 

 bustion it left behind a very small residuum, which dissolved 

 easily in nitric acid, and gave a slight precipitate with the 

 chloride of barium. The substance dried by exposure to the 

 air gave off much water on being heated. Desiccation was 



