^^48 EFFECTS OF CHLORIdI OF HYDROCARBON. 
like some of the preceding agents, well-marked arifesthetic 
properties, but it aysnredly will never come into use, as very 
few will be found capable of itihaling a sufficient dose of its 
vapour. In fact, out of five of us that attempted to inhale 
aldehyde, very carefully prepared arid purified, four were 
driven to suspend the respiration of it in consequence of the 
coughing and insufferable feeling of dyspnoea which it imme- 
diately induced. The sensation of difficult respiration and 
constriction in the chest which the vapour produced, resem- 
bled precisely those of a severe fit of spasmodic asthma. In the 
fifth case, the experimentalist, after perseveringly breathing 
the aldehyde for a minute or two, became entirely insensi- 
ble ; the state of anaesthesia lasted for two or three minutes, 
during which the pulse became excessively small and feeble. 
On recovering, the bronchial cotistriction and coughing^ 
which had disappeared as the anaesthesia was induced, re- 
turned immediately, and was annoymg for some time. 
Bisulphuret of Carbon. — Bisulptiuret of carbon, or alco- 
hol of sulphur (as it was al first termed) was accidentally 
discovered in 1796, by Lampadius, when experimenting on 
iron pyrites. Difljerent o()inioiis of its composition were 
held by different chemists, but Berzeliusand Marcet in 181 3^ 
at last fully confirmed the previous idea of Clement and 
Desormes, Vauqueiin, &c., that it consisted only of sulphur 
and carbon. It is composed of two atoms of the former to 
one of the latter, conseqiiently its formula is C S^. 
The most easy method of procuring it is by transmitting 
the vapour of sulphur over fragments of charcoal heated to 
redness in a closed porcelain or iron tube. The resulting 
bisulphuret of carbon, when purified by distillation, is aclear, 
colourless liquid of a pungent taste. Its specific gravity is 
1.272. It is very volatile, boiling at 108°. 
It has been stated in various literary journals, that bisul- 
phuret of carbon has lately been used as an anaesthetic agent 
at Christiana; but no particulars regarding its employment 
in Norway have, as far as I know, been yet published. 
