A06 D. Breed on Bismethyl. 
tion of bismuth is also easy, because it may be completely oxyd- 
ized by nitric acid. It is best accomplished in the following 
manner. © Into a capacious flask we bring a little water, and into 
this the glass bulbs filled with weighed bismaethyl. The flask 
is closed with a cork through which passes a cup-tube drawn to 
a point below and dipping into the water of the flask. Through 
this cup-tube fuming nitric acid is added. When all is arranged, 
the small bulbs filled with bismethyl are broken by shaking, and 
afterwards the bismzthyl is decomposed by nitric acid. r 
the oxydation the whole apparatus without separation is left 
sometime standing, then the nitric acid solution is poured into a 
weighed platinum bowl, and the wash water of the flask and cup- 
tube added. We now evaporate to dryness upon the water-bath, 
and cautiously decompose the nitrate of bismuth over a spirit 
lamp, and weigh the thus obtained oxyd of hgemuth. Below are 
the results of a few analyses. 
Carbon, 24-81 - 24:38 Q4:27 
Hydrogen, 5 24 5 27 5:26 
Bismuth, 69:95 70-47 70:47 
100-00 - 100-12 "100-00 
If we assume for the atomic weight of bismuth 208 as given by 
the latest researches, the accompanying analyses best agree with 
the following atomic proportions, _ 
12 at. carbon, eke 24:44 
15 “ hydrogen, 15 5-08 
1 * bismuth, 208 70°48 
295 100-00 
The formula for bismethyl therefore completely corresponds to 
that of stibethyl; Bi Aes. : 
Bismethy! appears as a water clear, or pale yellow, thin-flowing 
fluid, of 1:82. g. It possesses an extremely disagreeable odor, 
resembling stibethyl, and produces even when only a trace is 1N- 
haled, a highly disgusting, burning sensation upon the tip of the 
tongue. In the air it throws out thick fumes, inflames with a 
slight explosion, diffusing a deep yellow smoke of oxyd of bis- 
muth, ‘This appearance is most brilliant if we expose to the air 
some filter paper covered with bismethyl. By fuming nitric acid 
it is decomposed with vivid appearance of fire and violent explo- 
sion. In the same manner it burns in chlorine gas whilst carbon 
is deposited. In contact with bromine it burns and shows 
throughout the same appearances as stibethyl. It is quite insolu- 
e in water, not easily soluble in ether but easily so in anhydrous 
alcohol. If bismethyl be heated by itself in a retort, it com- 
mences to boil even below 50°, evolving a gas which burns with 
