1870.| Chemistry. 263 



metres, and some few miles inland, impregnated with this hydro- 

 mineral dust. 



As a proof of the greatly-improved mode of manufacture of 

 sulphide of earhon and its very extensive use, M. Contet states that 

 in 1840 the kilo, of rectified sulphide of carbon cost 50 francs (21.). 

 In 1848 M. Deiss manufactured it, and sold it at 8 francs per kilo. ; 

 and now it may be had wholesale at 50 centimes the same quantity. 

 As regards the purification, M. Sidot first re-distils the raw product, 

 then shakes the distillate up with mercury until the latter becomes 

 black, and this operation is so long repeated as the metal is affected 

 by the fluid, or rather by any sulphur dissolved in it. Sulphide 

 of carbon thus purified is freed from the foetid odour it generally 

 has, and exhibits a smell of ether. M. Cloeg renders commercial 

 sulphide of carbon inodorous by leaving it for twenty-four hours in 

 contact with half per cent, of its weight of finely-powdered corro- 

 sive sublimate, care being taken to shake or stir up this mixture. 

 The mercurial compound combines with the substances which are 

 the cause of the foetid odour of this substance, and an insoluble 

 compound is deposited. The liquid is carefully decanted, and after 

 a little pure inodorous fat has been added, the sulphide is re-distilled 

 by the heat of a water-bath. The sulphide thus obtained exhibits 

 an ethereal odour, and is eminently suitable for the extraction of 

 oils, fats, &c, from various substances, since on evaporation of the 

 purified sulphide these matters are obtained in as fresh and pure a 

 state as if the oils had been obtained by pressure. 



M. Coupier has succeeded in obtaining fuchsine without the use 

 of arsenic by the action of hydrochloric acid and iron, in small 

 quantities, upon pure aniline and nitro-toluol, taking care to apply 

 a suitable temperature. Commercial aniline and commercial nitro- 

 benzol also yield the same result ; and M. Schiitzenberger states 

 that having been requested to test the results of this reaction, he 

 has found that the aniline red obtained is identical with that ordi- 

 narily made, and declared it to be a salt of rosaniline. The yield 

 is very fair, and somewhat larger than when arsenic is used. 



A lengthy memoir on various processes for preserving timber 

 has been published by Dr. Ott. From it we learn that the opinion 

 that carbolic acid and substances containing it are effectual in pre- 

 serving timber is erroneous. The real preservative action of the 

 tar-oils is due, according to this author, to a greenish fluorescent 

 oil that comes over at the last stage of the distillation. Direct trials 

 with pyren and paranaphthaline do not yield successful results. The 

 question whether tar (coal-tar) contains a sufficient quantity of 

 the fluorescent greenish oil just alluded to, to justify the use of coal- 

 tar for preservative purposes, is answered in the negative. The 

 decay of timber, or peculiar transformation which makes it unfit for 



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