of Edinburgh, Session 1879-80. 
425 
3. The Action of Sulphide of Potassium upon Chloroform. By 
W. W. J. Nicol, M.A. Communicated by Professor Crum 
Brown. 
(Abstract.) 
The author, after referring to the paper by Pfankuch,* who obtained 
by the action of sulphide of potassium upon chloroform a crystalline 
substance which he held to be a compound of sulphide of potassium 
and sulphoform, and to the paper by Bouchardatt on sulphoform, 
gives a detailed account of his own investigation. 
The products formed when chloroform acts on an alcoholic solution 
of sulphide of potassium (prepared by dissolving caustic potash in 
alcohol, saturating one-half with sulphuretted hydrogen and then add- 
ing the other half) are sulphydrate of potassium and tliioformiate of 
potassium (HCOSK, analogous in constitution to thiacetate). The 
action is probably as follows HCC1 3 + 2K 2 S = 3KC1 + HCSSK, 
and HCSSK + H 2 0=«= HCOSK + H 2 S, this sulphuretted hydrogen 
forming sulphydrate with the sulphide of potassium. 
Thioformiate of potassium is converted into formiate by oxide of 
mercury. The silver salt blackens owing to formation of sulphide 
of silver, slowly at ordinary temperatures, rapidly on heating. 
The free acid could not be prepared, its aqueous solution (prepared 
by the action of sulphuretted hydrogen on the lead salt suspended 
in water) rapidly decomposes, yielding formic acid. 
4. Note on the Elimination of Linear and Vector Functions. 
By Professor Tait. 
BUSINESS. 
Professor Chrystal, George Ritchie Gilruth, L.R.C.S.E., D. 
Lloyd Roberts, F.R.C.P.L., A. H. Japp, LL.D., and Donald Ross, 
H.M. Inspector of Schools, were balloted for, and declared duly 
elected Fellows of the Society. 
* Journal fur pr. Chem. (2), 6, 99. 
t Journal de Pharmacie, xxiii. 12. 
