J. L. Smith — Carbon Compounds in Meteorites. 



from about 50 grams of the meteorite, much the larger por- 

 tion being sulphur. A few attempts were made to separate the 

 sulphur from the carbon compound, but unsuccessfully ; and I 

 soon saw that by continuing my efforts, I should exhaust the 

 small supply of material without reaching any useful result 

 So it was thought better to save what was left of the material 

 as a specimen of it 



The other carbon meteorites I have not yet examined with 

 regard to the points embraced in this report, but I hope to ob- 

 tain sufficient material before long to allow of this being done, 

 though I do not anticipate any different results from those that 

 have been examined. 

 The nature of the hydrocarbon found in the meteoric graphite and 



That this substance belongs to the meteorites at the time of 

 their tall, there can be no doubt ; for in the carbonaceous me- 

 teorites there is nothing to enable us to account for its forma- 

 tion in the cabinets in which they have been placed after their 

 fall. And in the case of the graphite nodules they were en- 

 cased in the interior of an iron mass over twenty centimeters 

 in diameter ; and, furthermore, the powder operated with was 

 taken from the interior of a compact nodule of graphite. 



I have been strongly inclined to consider this as a hydrocar- 

 bon containing combined sulphur forming a sulph- hydrocar- 

 bon. In the absence of chemical evidence sustaining this 

 view, I lay some stress on the peculiar odor of the ether ex- 

 tract, strengthened by a most singular property of the watery 

 extract from the Orgueil meteorite, of which I will make a 

 short statement, reserving for some future occasion any addi- 

 tional remarks. 



If a small quantity of the powdered Orgueil meteorite, say 

 two grams, be treated with water and heated for a short time 

 over a water- bath, no peculiar odor will be observed, however 

 carefully examined. Throw this on a filter and wash with 

 water, then evaporate the filtrate to dryness over a water-bath, 

 and during this time no odor will be observed. Allow the resi- 

 due to cool, and still there is no odor. But now throw upon 

 the residue a little water, say half to one cubic centimeter, 

 move the capsule around to dissolve the mass, and then on 

 bringing it near to the nose, a marked alliaceous odor will be 

 perceived, sometimes so strong as to be disagreeable, reminding 

 one of the odor of the oil of assafoetida. That it is produced 



