scientVfic news. 301 



*• ' Examen, $c." Chemical Examination of a New Gas, compofed 

 of Hidrogen, Carbon, and Phofphorus. Bj/ J. B. Tromms- 



DORFF. 



Mr. Trommfdorff obtained this gas during the decompofi- A new gas by 

 tion of phofphoric acid by ignited charcoal. In its common Tr o mmfd « fi * 

 flate it is mixed with carbonic acid, which may be feparated 

 from it by, agitation in lime water. 



The new gas is nearly of the fame fpecific gravity as com- 

 mon air ; it is infoluble in water, and undergoes no change 

 when mixed with oxigen, at common temperatures; but it 

 detonates with that aeriform fluid by the action of heat. It is 

 poflelTed of no agency upon the folutions of metallic oxides 

 which are not reducible by heat, but it decompofes the fluid 

 faline compounds containing gold, filver, or mercury. Dur- 

 ing its combuftion with oxigen, water, phofphoric acid, and 

 carbonic acid arg. formed, and hence Mr. Trommfdorff is in- 

 clined to conclude that it is a triple compound of phofphorus, 

 hidrogen, and carbon ; and he propofes to call it by a name, 

 which may be tranflated by the term of phofphorated carbo- 

 nated hidrogen gas. 



A part only of the memoir from which this account is taken 

 Is as yet publiflied. Concerning the action of the new gas 

 upon metallic folutions, and other phenomena prefented by it, 

 the learned author promifes to enter upon fome additional de- 

 tails. Without, wifhing to anticipate any of his reafoning up- 

 on the fubjeft ; with the fimple hope of throwing out a hint 

 for future difcufiions, we (hall venture a general obfervation 

 or two in relation to it. 



If hidrogen exifls in the gas, it muft apparently arife from 

 the decompoiition of water contained by the concrete acid or 

 the charcoal ; for, as would appear probable from the experi- 

 ments of Deformes and Clement, well burnt charcoal con- 

 tains no afcertainable quantity of combined hidrogen. By fe- 

 parately igniting the phofphoric acid and the charcoal, before 

 they were made to a6l on each other, the water contained by 

 them would be driven off; and, under fuch circumitances, it 

 would be curious to afcertain if the gas of Mr. Trommsdorff 

 would be produced. 



As 



