t6z Experiments on Charcoal. 



air, is a hydrofulphurated oxide of lead. Carburated fulphuf 

 unites alfo with ammonia, but the alkali does not become 

 cryftallizable: the whole is volatilized by heat. 



The nitric, muriatic, and fulphuric acids do not attack 

 carburated fulphur cold. When warm, the nitric acid burns 

 a part of it. 



Liquid fulphurous acid docs not attack it fcnfibly. The 

 cafe is the fame with the gafeous. Carburated fulphur is vo- 

 latilized in it as in the other gafes, and there is no precipi- 

 tation of fulphur ; which would not fail to be the cafe if there 

 were fulphurated hydrogen. 



Liquid oxygenated muriatic acid burns it (lowly, and it 

 appears that it attacks the charcoal rather than the fulphur, 

 for the latter becomes folid. This will probably afford the 

 means of analyfing that fubftance when it becomes neceffary 

 to afcertain exa&ly'its conftituent principles. 



Carburated fulphur diffolves very well in olive oil, but 

 better when hot than when cold : it depofits a little char- 

 coal, and crydallizes regularly and very foon by cooling. 



Alcohol makes it pals almoft inflantaneoufly to the foft 

 ftate. 



A portion of that which is diffolved is precipitated by the 

 water, and flill retains charcoal. 



Ether mixed with carburated fulphur makes it cryftallize 

 Tegnlarly and immediately another part is diffolved. A cryf- 

 tallization better determined is obtained almoft as fpeedily by 

 the action of a warm folution of potafh placed in an open 

 veffel, where the too elaftic carburated fulphur has an oppor- 

 tunity of efcaping. The cryflals, the moleculaeof which we 

 might almoft fay we faw arranged, are elongated octaedra, 

 pretty large, very regular and complete, becaufe they are 

 formed in the middle of the liquor. 



It might have been believed that the charcoal united itfelf 

 to the phofphorus and gave birth to a new compound ; but 

 here, as in many other circumftances, analogy is in fault, 

 and we were not able to obtain, by fimilar means, this com- 

 bination. 



This account of our experiments is already too long, if its 

 direct utility be confidered. It is very probable that when we 

 found this carburated fulphur, had we not fuppofed it to pof- 

 fefs fome ufeful principles, we mould have paid lefs attention 

 to it. But, fince, we were not fo fortunate as to find any 

 other effects produced by it than that of occafioning a confi- 

 derable degree of headach, and difpofing us to deep, by in- 

 fecting the air which we infpired. The labour, however, is 



done, 

 6 



