370 



DECOMPOSITION OF SULPHUR. 



Remarkable 

 phenomena 



amounted for. 



and then filter. This lixivium differs from the former in 

 being of a deeper colour, which announces, that carbon is 

 dissolved in it in a larger proportion. It differs from it 

 likewise in containing but little of the prussic radical, 

 However, if it remain a few months in contact with the 

 air, it will acquire more and more the property of preci- 

 pitating the solution of sulphate of iron of a blue colour; 

 which shows, that the principles of sulphur combined with 

 nitrogen are capable of forming the prussic radical. 



But what is particularly remarkable in this experiment 

 is the hidrogen produced during the operation; also the 

 carbon, which is dissolved in a large quantity in the lixi- 

 vium ; and lastly the almost total destruction of the prussic 

 radical. 



In the first place the hidrogen disengaged from a mix- 

 ture, which gave out none previous to the addition of the 

 sulphur, must necessarily be a product of the latter sub- 

 stance. In the second place, the carbon dissolved in the 

 lixivium must likewise have belonged to the sulphur, since 

 this is the only substance added to the mixture. And lastly 

 the almost total destruction of the prussic radical is ex- 

 plicable by the presence of hidrogen in the sulphur, which, 

 combining with the nitrogen, produces ammonia, that soon 

 escapes from the mixture by iss volatility. 

 3d experiment. Exp. 2. Solution of azotized sulphuret of potash acidu- 

 lated with sulphuric acid, when mixed with a sufficient 

 quantity of sulphate of iron at a maximum of oxidation, 

 yields from a fourth to a third more prussian blue, than the 

 same solution would give if acidulated with sulphuric acid 

 saturated with nitrous gas. 



Such a difference in the results could not fail to engage 

 my attention, since, from the hypothesis of the disoxige- 

 nation of nitrous gas, this, instead of diminishing the pro- 

 portion of prussian blue, on the contrary should have in- 

 creased it. I judged from this, that the explanation, which 

 had been given of the phenomenon in question, was not 

 accurate; and that it must result from some other cause, 

 than that on which it had been said to depend. 



To ascertain how far this conjecture Mas well founded, 



I rnada 



Not justly ex 

 plained. 



