248 On the Properties of Telluramyl and Selenmethyl. 
was quite cold, it was broken, the mass coarsely pulverized and 
thrown into a flask containing a solution of sulphomethylate of 
baryta, the flask quickly connected with a Liebig’s condensing 
apparatus, and the solution distilled: the chief difficulty which 
occurred was from the excessive foaming of the liquid as soon as 
it was heated which however can be mostly obviated by heating 
the flask from the sides, and not from the bottom ; but notwith- 
standing all precautions the quantity of foam was so great, tha 
we were obliged to purify the selenmethyl by redistillation. It 
‘was unnecessary to fill the flask and other apparatus with car- 
bonic acid gas, as the selenid of potassium does not appear to be 
as easily oxydizable when exposed to the air as the telluride: 
care however must be taken to have the apparatus prepared be- 
forehand so as to expose the selenid to the air as little as possible, 
and the solution must be distilled rapidly at first to expel the air 
from the apparatus. The selenmethyl appears to be formed in 
the solution very easily, as its characteristic odor can be perceived 
almost immediately, and, as soon as the flask is heated, yellow 
vapors can be seen to form, condensing to clear yellow oil drops 
precipitate when added to the acid solution. Sulphurous acid 
and 
minutes. ; 
Tf proper care be taken however, the oxydation can be carried 
on slowly until the solution is nearly evaporated to dryness: 0° 
cooling, the syrupy mass crystallizes in beautiful colorless groups 
of needle crystals, which increase in size till the entire mass 
als peer strong acid properties, appearing in fact 
stitute a new acid. 
