278 Notices of the Labours of Continental Chemists. 



boiling sulphuric acid with alcohol, appear to differ according 

 to the duration of the action and temperature: thus one pro- 

 duct washed solely with water gave 6?>'8 C, and 3-3 H ; an- 

 other gave 64>*3 C, and S'i H. At last it was obtained from 

 three preparations of the same composition, by boiling eight 

 to ten parts concentrated sulphuric acid with one of absolute 

 alcohol in a sand bath at 180° C. till the mixture had lost all 

 fluidity. The mass was then washed with water till the fil- 

 tered liquid gave no precipitate with chloride of barium. 

 The free acid, which most reddens litmus paper, as well 

 as the potash salt, were analysed. Acid = C 67"66, H S'S-t, 

 S 6-65, O 22-35. Potash salt = C 59-78, H 2-91, S 5-70, 

 20-26, Ka 11-35. Treatment with ammonia, acetate of 

 lead, chloride of barium, gave no definite salts. Erdmann 

 calls it thiomelanic acid, and observes that the coincidence 

 between the found and calculated results gives to the formula 

 advanced (C*" H^" S^ 0-") a high degree of probability, but 

 that no especial value can be placed in it, as, with the excep- 

 tion of the agreement in composition of the substance from 

 three different preparations, there is no surety for its purity. 

 On employing a higher temperature than the one stated, and 

 on heating the mass till it began to solidify, a product was 

 obtained, the composition of which was essentially different. 



For the sake of comparison the black substance was ex- 

 amined, which is formed from the action of sulphuric acid on 

 pyroxylic spirit, but the composition of the substance ob- 

 tained proved to be very different from that of the thiome- 

 lanic acid, viz. 67-U C, 1-73 H, 1-40 S, 29-73 O. [Jouriial 

 filr i^raktische Cheinie, vol. xv. p. 1. — Poggendorff^s Annalen^ 

 vol. xlvii. p. 619.) 



Action of Chlorine on Animal Substances. 



M. Mulder has continued his researches on the action of 

 chlorine on animal substances. Albumen (from eggs) was 

 mixed with water, filtered, and submitted to a current of 

 chlorine; very shortly white flocks were formed, which gra- 

 dually increased ; the precipitate was put into a filter and 

 edulcorated ; it appeared to be somewhat soluble in water. 

 It was dried at 80°, at which water was driven off, and it 

 shrunk together; became white with a trace of yellow; it was 



then dried at 100°C. Formula^" H''- N'«0'-, CL The same 



compound was obtained by the action of chlorine on ammo- 

 niacal solutions of casein and fibrin. Mulder calls it protein- 

 chlorous acid. The fluid from which this new substance has 

 been separated contains hydrochloric and chlorous acids ; 



