58 METHOD OF UNITING 



XI. 



Method of uniting Sulphur and Phofphorus without Danger to 

 the Operator f and an Attempt to explain the Change that then 

 takes Place. By Robert Briggs, M. D. .Edinburgh. 

 Communicated by the Author, 



Danger of com- jy|R^ ACCUM has lately favoured yoar readers with aft ac- 



Dining ful- . •' •' 1 r r 1 t 



phur and phof- count ot lome experiments made on the compound or hilphur 



phorus. and phofphorus, (bowing the great danger of preparing it by 



the ufual procefs, but without pointing out a method by which 



it may be readily formed, and that without the frnalleft rifk 



^ in the hands of a careful operator. I fay careful operator, for 



no preparation of fulphur and phofphorus Ihould be handled 



carelefsly. In order lo prevent effeds fimilar to thofe which 



happened to Mr. Accum, is the purport of this paper. 



Limited combi- If equal quantities of fulphur and phofphorus are melted 



wTth " hof"horus ^^S^^^^"^ ""^^'" ^'^^^^ ^^ ^ temperature not exceeding 180° of 



under 180°. Fahrenheit's thermometer, a certain proportion only of the 



fulphur unites with the phofphorus. The remainder is eafily 



wafhed away with cold water. This does not hold in higher 



temperatures : any quantity of fulphur may then be united. 



Qualities of this Upon examining the compound after it is perfectly cold, it 



compound. ^j|| ^^ found to have a friable texture, fpungy appearance, and 



a fulphur colour. The heat of the hand is fufficient to melt it, 



and a temperature of about 112° or nearly fo will fet it on fire 



if perfedly dry. To'dry it perfedly, however, is very difficult. 



When juft formed, and xiuring its formation, there is a ftrong 



fmell of fulphurated hydrogen, and a confiderable quantity of 



If the heat be that gas makes its efcape. After the heat of the compound 



boiIin"\'he ^° underwater is raifed to 200<* or 210^, the water is decom- 



water is rapidly pofed very rapidy ; white fumes, which before filled the empty 



decompofcd, fpace of the flafk, now iflue out of its mouth in abundance, 



efcape, and it and if the veflel is (haken by the hand or by allowing the water 



explodes. to boil, a fudden inflammation and explofion is the confequence. 



The compound of fulphur and phofphorus begins to decompofe 



the water immediately after the union of the two commences, 



but, towards the boiling point of water, that decompoCtion 



js very rapid. 



If 



