THE ANALYST. 209 A NEW METHOD OF PREPARING SULPHURETTED HYDROGEN. By J. FLETCHER, F.C.S., London and Paria. ANY mode by which the preparation of this useful gas can be rendered easier, and the unpleasantness of its manipulation diminished, will no doubt be welcomed by analysts : I therefore make no apology for submitting the results of some experiments made after reading a suggestion in some of the scientific journals, perhaps your own, but the name does not at the moment occur to me.The plan is simply to fuse in a small glass flask sulphur and solid paraffin, leading the resulting gas by meam of a perforated cork, india-rubber, and glass tube directly into the solution to be tested. The first gases are not sulphuretted, but when the mixture has been thoroughly fused and mixed the sulphuretted hydrogen passes over abundantly.The advantage of the process is that the moment the flame of the lamp is removed the evolution of gas ceases, and the little apparatus can be laid aside without fear of creating offensive smells. When used again, the gas passes at once when sufficiently heated. I passed the gas for an hour through such a bottle, and the water, although most strongly impregnated with the gas, was fairly clear and limpid, showing only the usual appearances.There are a few precautions to be taken. The mixture is inclined to bump when strongly heated, but a few pieces of broken tobacco-pipe shank prevent that. Care must be taken that when the lamp is removed, and the gas ceases to pass, that none of the solution is sucked back into the bulb ; it is very easily prevented.A very strong heat should not be applied, as then distillations would commence and the product condense in the tube. I believe the process to be a simple, cleanly, and elegant substitute for the old methods, and particularly well suited for small and private laboratories. How it would work in large ones I would like to hear from those who are in a poaition to try it.- Chemical News.A washing bottle seems unnecessary. Referring to the above note the following letter has appeared in the Chemical Nt?ws :- To TEE EDITOR OF “THE CEEMICAL NEWS.” Sm,-h the Chemical News, vol. xl., p. 154, Mr. J. Fletcher has described what he calls a new process for the pPeparation of H,S by melting sulphur and solid paraffin together.Allow me to state that the process is not new, having been used by myself and others as far back as 1872. I continued to use it for more than twelve months, but found it very unsatisfactory, because of its expIosive qualities, and upon that account gave it up. As far as I remember an explosion took place about every seventh experiment; at one time the cork of a flask would be violently ejected and the contents sent to the ceiling, at other times the flask was completely destroyed. The procese works remarkably well except for this one fault, and if Mr. Fletcher has succeeded in overcoming its explosive qualities by the addition of broken tobacco-pipe shanks he has indeed rendered a service to chemists in general. I am, &c., WILLIAM JOHNSTONE, F.I.C., F.C.S. WieBbaden, September 29th, 1879.