414 Prof. Graham on Phosphurelted Hydrogen, 



In conclusion, the statement of the above properties is 

 abundantly sufficient to prove that a strong analogy subsists 

 between our nitrous phosphuretted hydrogen and the self- 

 accendible gas which has been so long in the hands of che- 

 mists. The peculiar principle of the last, therefore, may be 

 an oxygenated body. That principle cannot be nitrous acid, 



but it may be a compound of phosphorus and oxygen (P) 

 analogous to nitrous acid. In all the reactions by which self- 

 accendible gas is produced, we have the simultaneous forma- 

 tion of compounds of phosphorus and oxygen, such as the hypo- 

 phosphorous and phosphoric acids. The compound P is 

 hypothetic, however, and has not been formed directly. Its 

 existence is only surmised from the parallelism which appears 

 to be established between nitrogen and phosphorus, and be- 

 tween their compounds; phosphuretted hydrogen itself corre- 

 sponding with ammonia, the phosphoric and phosphorous acids, 

 with the nitric and hyponitrous acids. The peroxide of chlorine 



of Davy and Stadion (C) corresponds with nitrous acid and 

 with our hypothetic oxide of phosphorus, which we may speak 

 of as the peroxide of phosphorus. The peroxide of phosphorus 

 would appear to resemble the peroxide of chlorine in being 

 acted on more slowly by mercury and by alkalies than is the 

 case with nitrous acid. It is to be admitted, however, that 

 I did not succeed in producing an inflammable phosphuretted 

 hydrogen by the agency of peroxide of chlorine, — that there 

 is no chlorous phosphuretted hydrogen. The reason is, peroxide 

 of chlorine is incompatible with phosphuretted hydrogen, re- 

 acting upon that gas at the instant of mixture. 



As to the mode in which nitrous acid vapour, in a propor- 

 tion so minute, contributes to the accendibility of phosphu- 

 retted hydrogen, I have been able to form no distinct idea. 

 The most likely conjecture is, that the nitrous acid, or re- 

 sulting hyponitrous acid, combines with some product of the 

 oxygenation of phosphuretted hydrogen, and thereby disposes 

 or promotes the occurrence of that change. The oxygena- 

 tion of pure hydrogen itself under the influence of a clean 

 plate of platinum, is not promoted in a sensible degree by any 

 nitrous impregnation. The sulphurous and muriatic acid 

 gases, and vapour of acetic acid, appeared to contribute no- 

 thing to the accendibility of phosphuretted hydrogen. 



Summary. — It appears, then, that there are not two isomeric 

 phosphuretted hydrogens, but that the peculiarities of the gas 

 when spontaneously inflammable depend upon adventitious 

 matter : 



