On phofphorated Hydrogen Gas. 485 



ment of the gas had entirely ceafed, was nothing but pure water, without fmell, tafte, or 

 colour ; and in every refpeft fimilar to that newly diftilled. 



When expofed to the air of the atmofphere, it foon depofited a remarkable quantity of 

 red oxide of phofphorus, and at the fame time emitted fome hydrogen gas, but which was 

 no longer fufceptible of inflammation, except by the contaft of an ignited body. By 

 keeping the folution expofed to the air for a length of time, and occafionally increafing or 

 renewing the points in contaft by a gentle agitation, it becomes completely decompofed, or 

 in other words, it refolves itfelf entirely into phofphoreous oxide, and pure hydrogen gas. 



The tin£tures of turnfol and violets do not undergo any change in their colour by con- 

 ta£l with the liquid phofphorated hydrogen, a proof that this fluid is neither acid nor 

 alkaline. 



The fulphuric and nitric acids, and the muriatic acid either fimple or oxygenated, on 

 being added to this liquor, produced no remarkable effed: ; neither did the application of 

 potafli, foda, nor ammonia. 



The oxydes of mercury and lead vrere fpeedily reduced, and immediately converted into 

 metallic phofphurets, by their mixture with the folution of phofphorated hydrogen gas. 



When poured into the nitrate of filver this folution inftantly produces a black precipitate 

 in great abundance, which does not change its colour, and which before the blow pipe 

 exhibits all the chara£ters of metallic phofphurets. 



When brought into contact with the nitric folution of mercury, it alfo produced a very 

 confiderable precipitate in great abundance, which is at firft black, but foon becomes white 

 and cryftallized, in proportion as it pafles from the ftate of phofphuret to that of the mer- 

 curial phofphate, by abforbing oxygen either from the nitric acid in which it takes place, 

 or the atmofpheiic air with which it is in contaft. 



The folution of lead by the nitric acid is likewife decompofed by the hydro-phofphorated 

 liquor, but with lefs adlivity than the folutions of filver and mercury. In this decompo- 

 fition fome phofphuret of lead is alfo produced, which in time becomes converted into 

 phofphate. 



The fulphate of copper alfo, after a certain time, exhibits a confiderable quantity of 

 black precipitate, when a portion of phofphorated hydrogen gas is added to the folution. 

 This precipitate, like that obtained by the decompofition of the nitrate of filver, retains its 

 black colour ; which feems to {hew, that it cannot without great difEculty be converted 

 into phofphate. 



The fulphate of iron did not appear to be aflt£l:ed by this liquid. 



Nitrate of arfenic, when poured into this fluid, does not undergo any perceptible de- 

 compofition, till the expiration of feveral days ; but at length a precipitate is geneBated of a 

 beautiful yellow colour, in the form of fmall grains, which is capable of remaining ex- 

 pofed to the air for a length of time, without undergoing any change. This precipitate 

 is the arfenical phofphuret. 



CONCLUSIONS* 



