DECOMPOSITION OF SULrHUlt. 369 



process I employed to decompose it affords little means of dominant in 

 .. ,. . J . , , . , sulphur? 



finding the proportions of the two principles. 



There is one observation however, that may throw some Probably hi- 

 light on this question. I have remarked, that the solutions dr0 S en - 

 of sulphuretted nitrogen of potash [azote sidf are de potasse~\ 

 all contain an excess of carbon, which they let fall, if the 

 liquor remain exposed to the open air : whence I have in* 

 ferred, that the nitrogen did not find in t\\^ sulphur the pro- 

 portion of carbon necessary for the formation of the 

 prussic radical. 



In the next paper I shall have the honour of commu- Future re- 

 peating to the Institute I shall make known the elements sees " 

 of phosphorus, and of iron. I shall likewise notice in it 

 the alkaline rnetals, in which it is said there is no carbon. 



VI. 



Experiments in Continuation of those on the Decomposition 

 of Sulphur; by the Same*. 



JlAAVING been informed, that the experiments related in Experiments 

 my paper on the decomposition ofsulphur have not ap- ^"^ inieon * 

 peared sufficiently decisive, to authorize the conclusion I 

 have drawn from them, I am impatient to make known 

 fresh facts, that may serve to coniirm the results I ob- 

 tained. 



Exp. 1. Instead of lixiviating the residuum of the cal- Principles of 

 * . i * i » i i /• ,i sulphur com- 



cination of animal charcoal and sulphate of potash, as was bined with 



mentioned in my paper on sulphur, let it be intimately nitrogen form 



mixed with one fifth of sulphur, very dry and well Ievi- radical.^ 1 



gated; and heat the mixture, either in a gunbarrel or in a 



stone retort. If the gasses produced in this operation be 



collected, it will be found, that a great deal of ammoniacal 



gas is evolved from the commencement of the experiment, 



to which will succeed hidrogen gas, and carburetted hi- 



drogen gas. When nothing more is given out, extinguish 



the fire, and, as soon as the vessel is cold, lixiviate, the 



matter it contains in about ten times its weight of water ; 



* Journal de Physique, August 1808, p. 117. 

 Vol. XXIIL— Suppllmi.nx. ^U and 



