Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 309 



atoms of hydrogen from 34-30, we have phosphuretted hydrogen 



composed of 3 atoms of hydrogen 3* 



1 atom of phosphorus 31*30 



Weight of atom . . . 34-30 

 Now whether we admit 15-7 as the atomic weight of phos- 

 phorus, as stated by Dr. Turner, or 16, as given by Dr. Thomson, 

 we may consider phosphuretted hydrogen as composed of 



3 atoms of hydrogen 3- or 3* 



2 atoms of phosphorus 32* 31-4 



35- 34-4 



It is therefore a sesquihydruret. 



M. Rose procured the gas by heating hypophosphite of lime : 

 the gas contains variable proportions of hydrogen: the volume of 

 the gas obtained was accurately measured, and remained for thirty- 

 six hours exposed to a weak solution of sulphate of copper, de- 

 prived by long boiling of atmospheric air: the phosphuretted hy- 

 drogen gas was completely absorbed, and the hydrogen only left. 

 M. Rose states that the specific gravity of phosphuretted hydrogen 

 by calculation should be 1*1846; that which was procured from 

 phosphite of lead was of sp. gr. 1-205. 



M. Rose proved by several experiments, that the spontaneously- 

 inflammable phosphuretted hydrogen gas, does not lose this pro- 

 perty, when kept over either mercury or water. He states also 

 that it is requisite to dry the gas perfectly by means of chloride of 

 calcium, as without this precaution it may contain vapour of phos- 

 phorus, which would increase the weight of the gas; and he thinks 

 that is the only way in which the different sp. gr. found by himself 

 and M. Dumas can be explained. 



Phosphuretted Hydrogen from Phosphorous Acid. — This gas was 

 obtained by heating the hydrated phosphorous acid in green glass 

 retorts : white ones must not be used, as the acid readily attacks 

 them : a phosphite is formed with the alkali of the glass, which, by 

 the action of heat, becomes a phosphate, and disengages hydrogen 

 gas. The gas received was dried over chloride of calcium, and the 

 latter portions of it rejected. The gas obtained is a mixture of 

 varying proportions of hydrogen and phosphuretted hydrogen. 

 Much depends upon the degree of heat employed : when it was 

 quick and intense, the gas was much richer in phosphorus. 



M. Rose found the action of the inflammable and uninflammable 

 gases to be perfectly similar on different substances ; and they have 

 both the property of being converted, one into uninflammable and 

 the other into inflammable phosphuretted hydrogen : on these ac- 

 counts M. Rose considers them as isomeric compounds. — Ami. de 

 Chim. et de Phys. torn. li. p. 1. 



On referring to Dr. Dal ton's New System of Chemistry, vol. ii. 

 p. 182, it will appear that he had several years since arrived at 

 the same conclusion as M. Rose, with respect to the similarity of 

 the two kinds of phosphuretted hydrogen. 



