Experiments tipon the liquid Sulphur of Lampadm. 33 



Pure caustic potash acts very feebly upon liquid sulphur : 

 after some time, however, it is coloured^ and acquires the 

 property of precipitating several metallic solutions in colours 

 peculiar to this combination. .... \ 



Ammonia seems to dissolve it a little more easily, it 

 assumes a deep yellow colour, and also precipitates the me- 

 tallic solutions : caustic bar)'tes dissolves it also in a greai 

 proportion, and . assumes an orange colour ; it precipilalei 

 the metallic solutions in the same manner. jfUftv-r-Tt 



Alcohol seems to dissolve it in any proportion, the solu- 

 tion is abundantly precipitated by water, and the sulphur 

 unites in small globules, which fall to the bottom of the 

 liquid. < 



We sec from these first efforts, that nothing Whatever in- 

 dicates the presence of carbon in liquid sulphur, and they 

 authorize us to think that it is only hydrogenated sulphur, 

 if not to suppose that sulphur itself is a compound body, ■ 

 The action of the oxygenated acids upon this substance ap- 

 pears very remarkable, and seems to indicate a state of sul- 

 phur analogous to that of the charcoal and the azot in the 

 gaseous oxides of carbon and azot. 



Nbte by M. Vmtqzielin. — The above experiments were 

 made at my request, by M. Robiquet. They are still far 

 from demonstrating the nature of the elements of liquid 

 sulphur : we should have continued them if M. Berthollet 

 ]un. had not announced to the Institute that he was en- 

 gaged in a similar investigation. I should not now have 

 published these facts, if I had not.also informed the Insti- 

 tute that I was of the same opinion with M. Berthollet, 

 having been busy in examining the composition of liquid 

 sulphur, and that I had even given M. Biot a considerable 

 quantity of it in order that he might expose light to its 

 action, and determine if possible, by its refra'ngent power, 

 the portion of hydrogen it contained. 



Vol, 30. JJq. 117. F^l, 1808. C Vri. Let' 



