StJDPHUR AND PHOSPHORUS. ^J 



fhaking the glafs. This of courfe' would raife a quantity of 

 the melted phofphorus, and at the fame time oblige him to 

 remove his finger from the mouth of the phial. The highly 

 rarified nitrogen would rufli out with violence, carrying part 

 of the melted phofphorus along with it, an explofion and its 

 efFefls would be the confequence. 



A pretty loud report may be produced by heating any por- 

 tion of air in a phial glafs covered by the finger, on fuddeilly 

 removing the finger. • 



This explanation, however, is rendered abundantly evident Ti^xperiment i« 

 from what follows. Fill a phial glafs, or what is /lill better, ^^{^^f;^ /^^^/j,,. 

 a thin glafs lube fiiut hermetically at one end with fulphur phur gradually 

 and phofphorus. Cork it firmly, and plunge the tube '"to jj^i dofed 

 hot water, the heat of which is to be gradually augmented till vefll-l, unite 

 it boils. The fulphur and phofphorus will melt and unite ^^^^°"^ '^^"S^'^* 

 peaceably. Shake them after taking the tube from the boiling 

 water, that the mixture may be compleat, and no accident will 

 happen. 



It is hardly neceffary to caution againft plunging the tube Not fo if the 

 into boiling water at firft. A contrary plan allows any fmall ^^^^ ^^ ^"^^^"' ' 

 quantity of oxigen that may be prefent in the very fraall portion ^ 

 of air that may remain between the particles of the fulphur 

 and phofphorus to be taken up by the phofphorus before melt- 

 ing. If a compound of fulphur and phofphorus be prepared This compound 

 as above direded, having only a fmall proportion of f^ilphur, ^^^.^'JJ^i^'^jj'g, 

 it has a yellowifli white colour, isfolid when cold, and has a firft mentioued 

 cryftallized appearance. This fubftance is more inflammable °*' ^ ' 

 than phofphorus, but not by any means fo much fo as a dry 

 oxide of fulphur and phofphorus. This compound, however, 

 may be eafily converted into an oxide by the following fimple 

 procefs. Set fire to the mixture, fliH in the tube, by taking out i"to which i^ 

 the cork, admitting a little air, and plunging a hot wire into it ; b^^combuftloZ 

 allow it to burn only five or fix feconds. It will by this be 

 converted into the oxide of fulphur and phofphorus, be found 

 to refemble in appearance very much a neutral fait efflorcfcing, 

 fublime into the neck of the glafs, and be fo very inflammable 

 that the inftant you bring it into the air it catches iire, though 

 the thermometer be at the freezing point. 



Edinburgh, December 15, 1803. 



On 



