.1 34- Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles, 



combining gradually with carbonic acid is gradually converted into 

 this new subsalt, and then into carbonate. This alteration, the first 

 step of which occurs even in air deprived of its carbonic acid and 

 in vacuo, explains the difficulty which all chemists have experienced 

 in obtaining a solution of neutral acetate which is not precipitated 

 by carbonic acid. Lastly, it is owing to the formation of the subsalt 

 by the spontaneous disengagement of the acid, which occurs in the 

 manufactories of acetate of lead, that the mother waters are rendered 

 uncrystallizable, and this would occasion great loss, if an excess 

 of acetic acid was not employed. It is evident that the disappear- 

 ance of only one part of acid renders a solution of about 20 parts 

 of acetate syrupy. — V Institute Nov. 1837. 



[As the symbols merely and not the analysis of this new subace- 

 tate appear in the above extract, the exact composition of the salt 

 is not very easily arrived at. I suspect that it is a compound of 4< 

 equivalents of acid +5 equivalents of oxide, which are equal to 3 

 equivalents of acetate and 1 eq. of diacetate of lead. — R.P.] 



SULPHURET OF AZOTE. 



M. Soubeiran obtains sulphuret of azote by the action of ammo- 

 nia upon chloride of sulphur; the dried ammoniacal gas is passed 

 into a large receiver, in which there is placed a capsule containing a 

 small quantity of chloride of sulphur, which is renewed when the 

 action is over ; a dirty green flocky matter is formed, which is ex- 

 posed for 24 hours to an atmosphere of ammonia; the product of 

 this operation is a mixture of hydrochlorate of ammonia and sul- 

 phuret of azote ; it is treated with water, which dissolves the ammo- 

 niacal salt only. 



The success of this operation requires several precautions ; the 

 chloride of sulphur must be saturated with chlorine ; the tempera- 

 ture must be prevented from rising by the action of the ammonia 

 upon the chloride of sulphur; on this account a large receiver should 

 be used, and small quantities of chloride of sulphur must be em- 

 ployed at a time ; the ammonia must always be in great excess ; the 

 mixture of sulphuret of azote and hydrochlorate of ammonia should 

 be quickly washed ; the sulphuret of azote must be dried, first by 

 pressure between folds of blotting-paper and afterwards in vacuo. 



The following are the principal properties of sulphuret of azote; 

 it has a lemon yellow colour ; is inodorous; at first it is tasteless, 

 but it soon imparts a very distinct acrid taste. It detonates vio- 

 lently by percussion, or by the sudden application of heat. If it 

 be mixed with some inert body it decomposes quietly, at about 284° 

 Fahr.^ into sulphur and azote. It is slightly soluble in water ; but 

 it is gradually converted by heat into hyposulphate of ammonia; it 

 is more soluble in alcohol and tether than in water. When the aether 

 is very pure and dry, after its evaporation, it leaves crystallized sul- 

 phuret o^ azote. The alkalis convert it quickly into ammonia and 

 hyposulphate ; with the acids it yields ammonia, sulphur, and sul- 

 phurous acid. Sulphuret of azote is formed of two atoms of azote 

 (two volumes) and three atoms of sul})hur. It corresponds, in the 

 series of the sulphurets, to the acid of the nitrates in the series of 



