caillite group of Meunier, and has a sp. gr. of 7615. Analysis gave the following results:

This iron does not bear the slighest resemblance to either of the Whitfield Co., Georgia, irons, found in the vicinity. It is a white iron, whilst the Walker Co., Alabama, iron has a bluish tinge and was found 100 miles due east.

3. Meteoric Iron from Waldron Ridge, Claiborne Co., Tennessee.— This was found in March, 1887, and supposed to be iron ore. The meteorite is one of the caillite group of Meunier. On the largest piece, weighing 15 lbs., the octahedral structure is very marked. The smaller pieces, weighing collectively several pounds, show considerable weathering. The iron separates readily at the cleavage plates, between which are thin leaves of schreibersite. Troilite and graphite were also observed. It thus appears that this meteorite is identical with the Cosby Creek, Cocke Co., the Sevier Co., the Greenbrier Co., and the Jennies Creek meteorites, which, although independently described, have been shown by Huntington to be parts of one meteorite. B. H. B.

Phosphatic Mineral Water. By BOURGOIN and CHASTAING (J. Pharm. [5], 16, 337-341).—-At Viry (Seine-et-Oise) is a spring found in a gallery cut in clay. The temperature of the water is constant at 4° even in summer, the yield is about 14 litres per minute, and though quite limpid at first a deposit is quickly formed.

A litre of water was found to contain—

In an open flask, beautiful, lamellar crystals form after some days, which seem to be composed of calcium phosphate, and the water, originally acid, becomes sensibly neutral. J. T.

Composition of Certain Colliery Waters. By P. P. BEDSON (J. Soc. Chem. Ind., 6, 712-715).-The author gives the results, expressed in grams per litre, of the analyses of two colliery waters:

I. Water from the Redheugh Colliery. This water drains from the Brockwell seam and adjacent rock. Temperature 13°. II. Water from the Wardley Colliery. This water is remarkable not only from its mineral constituents but also from the fact that it contains a large amount of gas dissolved in it.

The analysis of the gas showed it to have the following composition :

:

Constitution of Nitroethane. By G. GÖTTING (Annalen, 243, 104-131).—By the action of ethyl iodide on nitroethane and sodium ethoxide in sealed tubes at 100°, a liquid of the composition CH,NO is produced. It boils at 166-170° and is freely soluble in alcohol and ether. At a higher temperature, it decomposes, yielding pyridine and a resinous residue. Sodium iodide, sodium nitrite, and ammonium iodide, are formed as bye-products when ethyl iodide acts on sodium nitroethane. The nitrite and ammonium iodide are probably formed by secondary reactions. The primary reaction may be represented by the equation 9C,H,NO, + 6EtI + 6C2H, ONa = 6C,H,NO +6С2HOH + 9H2O + 6NaI + 3NH2OH.

By substituting methyl, propyl and isobutyl iodides for ethyl iodide in the preceding experiment a series of homologous compounds is obtained having the composition

Each of the compounds is decomposed by distillation, yielding a volatile base. The formation of C,H,NO and its homologues can be more readily explained by Genther's assumption that nitroethane is in reality acetamidoxide, CH, CO·NH2O, than by V. Meyer's formula CH, CH2 NO2.

W. C. W.

Preparation of Hydrosulphides and Sulphides of Methyl and Ethyl. By P. KLASON (Ber., 20, 3407—3413). Methyl hydrogen sulphide is prepared by diluting with ice a cold mixture of 750 c.c. of sulphuric acid and 500 c.c. of absolute methyl alcohol, and adding the whole to a solution of 2.75 kilos. of crystallised sodium carbonate. The solution is concentrated to such an extent that most of the sodium sulphate separates. The mother-liquor is then concentrated, mixed with a solution of 500 grams of potash in 1 litre of water, previously saturated with hydrogen sulphide, and heated on a water-bath. The gases evolved are passed first through a strong aqueous solution of 50 grams of potash, and then into a solution of 350 grams of potash in 700 c.c. of water. The small amount of hydrogen sulphide contained in the latter solution is precipitated with lead acetate, and the ethyl hydrogen sulphide liberated by the addition of hydrochloric acid. It is dried with potash and distilled. 500 c.c. of alcohol yielded about 200 grams of methyl hydrogen sulphide, and 40 grams of methyl sulphide. It is a thin, colourless, refractive liquid, having a very repulsive odour; it boils at 5.8° under 752 mm. pressure, and yields a crystalline hydrate with water (compare Gregory, Annalen, 15, 239; and Obermeyer, this vol., p. 124).

Mercury methyl mercaptide, Hg(SMe), is best prepared by passing methyl hydrogen sulphide through an aqueous solution of mercury cyanide; it is almost insoluble, and melts at 175°. The lead compound, Pb(SMe)2, forms microscopic, crystalline plates; it is decomposed by exposure to air or light." The bismuth compound, Bi(SMe)3, crystallises in yellow, microscopic needles; the silver compound forms a yellow, crystalline precipitate.

Ethyl hydrogen sulphide is prepared similarly to the methyl compound, using 1 litre of absolute alcohol, 500 c.c. of sulphuric acid, kilos. of sodium carbonate, and 800 grams of potash. Copper ethyl mercaptide, CuSEt, not Cu(SEt), is readily obtained when the mixed solutions of copper sulphate and sodium acetate are treated with ethyl hydrogen sulphide, and forms a pale yellow, amorphous powder. It was previously stated (J. pr. Chem. [2], 15) that zinc and cadmium mercaptides are not decomposed by hydrochloric acid; later experiments show that all mercaptides with a positive metal are decomposed by hydrochloric acid.

Methyl sulphide is prepared by distilling a concentrated solution of methyl sodium sulphate (from litre of absolute methyl alcohol) with an aqueous solution of 500 grams of potash, previously half saturated with hydrogen sulphide. The yield is 150 grams. It boils at 37.2° under 758 mm. pressure. Ethyl sulphide may be prepared in a similar manner, and boils at 91.9°. Methyl ethyl sulphide is prepared by distilling a solution of methyl hydrogen sulphide (from 250 c.c. of alcohol) in potash with sodium ethyl sulphate (from 550 c.c. of alcohol); it boils at 66.9°. The yield was 160 grams.

N. H. M.

Alkyl Polysulphides. By P. KLASON (Ber., 20, 3413—3415). — When methyl hydrogen sulphide is passed into 100 grams of sulphur chloride, (S2Cl2), a product is obtained free from chlorine, probably consisting of methyl tetrasulphide, methyl trisulphide, and sulphur.

When distilled in a vacuum, methyl trisulphide passes over, and sulphur remains. Methyl trisulphide (Cahours, Annalen, 61, 92) is a pale-yellow oil of a very disagreeable odour, boiling at 170° with slight decomposition. In a vacuum, it distils at 62°. Sp. gr. 1.2162 at 0°; 1-2059 at 10°; and 1·119 at 17° (compared with water at 0°). Paratolyl hydrogen sulphide reacts with sulphur chloride, yielding Otto's paratolyl tetrasulphide (Abstr., 1887, 954). N. H. M.

Sulphines and the Valency of Sulphur. By H. KLINGER and A. MAASEN (Annalen, 243, 193-218).-The authors have repeated Krüger's experiments (this Journal, 1877, i, 186) on isomeric sulphine compounds, and they prove that the diethylmethylsulphine iodide, prepared by the action of methyl iodide on diethyl sulphide, is identical with the product of the action of ethyl iodide on methyl ethyl sulphide. This is shown by an examination of the platino-, auro-, and mercuro-chlorides, and also of the cadmio-iodide.

Dimethylethylsulphine iodide, SMe,EtI, is formed not only by the action of methyl iodide on ethyl methyl sulphide, but also by the action of methyl sulphide on ethyl iodide. It is a hygroscopic, crystalline substance, soluble in alcohol, and is precipitated from the alcoholic solution by ether. It melts at 108-110°. The cadmioiodides, 2SMe,EtI,CdI2, melting with slight decomposition at 179°, and SMe EtI,Cd12, melting at 98-99°, were prepared. The mercurochlorides, SMe EtC1,2HgCl2 and SMeEt,C1,6HgCl2, melt at 118° and 200° respectively. The platinochloride, 2C,H11SCI,PtCl, forms orangered crystals belonging to the regular system. It is insoluble in alcohol and ether. The aurochloride, CH,SCI,AuCl3, forms minute. crystals melting at 240-244°.

As the supposed existence of Krüger's isomeric sulphines forms the sole argument in favour of the view that the four affinities of the sulphur-atom are of dissimilar nature, the author's results show that there is no longer any experimental evidence in support of this hypothesis. W. C. W.

Disulphones. By E. FROMM (Ber., 21, 185–188).-When bromethylidenediethylsulphone (Abstr., 1887, 123) is heated with aqueous potash, it is converted into ethylidenediethylsulphone; the yield, however, does not amount to that theoretically possible, and inasmuch as sulphuric acid is one of the products of the reaction, it is probable that hydroxyethylidene disulphone is formed, but acting as an oxidising agent is itself reduced to ethylidenedisulphone.

When ethylidenediethylsulphone, which melts at 75-78° and not at 60°, as stated by Escales and Baumann (ibid.), is dissolved in anhydrous ether or benzene, and treated with sodium, hydrogen is evolved and a compound obtained which could not be purified; diethylsulphonedimethylmethane (Baumann, ibid.) is, however, obtained if methyl iodide is added to the solution before treatment with sodium. A like reaction occurs when an alcoholic solution of the disulphone is boiled with methyl iodide and alcoholic potash. Diethylsulphonedimethylmethane when treated in benzene solution with sodium does not evolve hydrogen.

W P. W.

Synthetical Experiments in the Sugar-group. By E. FISCHER and J. TAFEL (Ber., 20, 3384-3390; compare this vol., p. 39).— Glycerosazone (Abstr., 1887, 651) is prepared by adding 15 parts of bromine to a solution of 10 parts of glycerol and 35 parts of crystallised sodium carbonate in 60 parts of water at 10°. 200 grams of glycerol can be used in one operation. The solution is treated with 5 parts of phenylhydrazine hydrochloride. In five to eight days, the glycerosazone separates as a yellow, crystalline precipitate. The yield is 20 per cent. of the weight of glycerol.

When the oxidised glycerol is treated with aqueous soda, so that the amount of free alkali amounts to 1 per cent., and is kept for four to five days, the liquid loses the power of reducing alkaline copper solution in the cold; when warmed, it still has the power of reducing copper solutions. The solution is neutralised with acetic acid, and heated with phenylhydrazine hydrochloride and sodium acetate for six to eight hours. The product contains two osazones, C1HNO. The one has all the properties previously ascribed to a-acrosazone (from acrylaldehyde bromide); it crystallises from alcohol in pure yellow, well-formed needles, which melt at 217° with decomposition. The other osazone is more readily soluble in ethyl acetate, from which it crystallises in globular groups of slender needles melting at 158159°; it is probably identical with B-acrosazone. This method for preparing the acrosazones is more convenient than that previously described.

When a solution of 5 grams of dulcitol and 12 grams of sodium carbonate in 40 c.c. of water is treated with 5 grams of bromine, and the whole, half an hour afterwards, is warmed with 5 grams of phenylhydrazine and 5 grams of sodium acetate, the osazone, CH22NO1, separates in yellow flakes. This closely resembles galactosazone (Abstr., 1887, 562) except that it melts at 205-206° with decomposition. The name phenyldulcitosazone is ascribed to the new compound. N. H. M.

Condensation of Formaldehyde. By O. LOEW (Ber., 21, 270275). The condensation of formaldehyde (Abstr., 1886, 609) is most readily effected by the action of strong bases, although it can be brought about by salts having an alkaline reaction, such as potassium sulphite or carbonate; salts having a neutral reaction are, however, without action on the aldehyde. Comparative experiments at 100° with aqueous solutions of lime and baryta containing equimolecular proportions of the two bases showed that the former rapidly acted on the aldehyde (15 per cent. solution) with the formation of formose as chief product, whilst the action of the latter resulted in the production of formic acid, much aldehyde remaining unaltered owing to the consequent neutralisation of the base. The production of formose by the action of lime-water is accelerated by the addition of sodium chloride, which itself does not bring about the condensation of the aldehyde, but is retarded by the presence of sodium acetate, potassium nitrate, and of much copper, iron, or tin. Calcined magnesia does not react with formaldehyde either in the cold or at 100°, but an aqueous solution of the hydroxide converts it into formose at 100°. Litharge and many lead salts also effect the condensation of the