17$ Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



These experiments, however, clearly shew that perphosphuretted 

 hydrogen gas contains more phosphorus than the preceding. The 

 second alone tends to prove that two proportions of hydrogen are 

 combined with one proportion of phosphorus. Different other me- 

 thods have been tried, to determine more exactly the composition 

 of this body, but they all failed, on account of the extreme facility 

 with which it decomposes. 



The phosphuretted hydrogen gases dissolve in sulphuric acid, as 

 stated by M. Dumas. The solution of perphosphuretted hydrogen 

 gas, at first clear, soon becomes turbid, and deposits phosphorus. 



If caustic ammonia be introduced into the solution of this gas, 

 the same quantity of gas is disengaged that had been employed. 

 Nevertheless, on leaving this solution to itself, more and more 

 phosphorus is deposited ; the ammonia disengages no more gas, 

 and the smell of sulphuretted hydrogen is perceptible. Perphos- 

 phuretted hydrogen, which had been left for six weeks in a bell- 

 glass over mercury, did not any longer inflame on contact with 

 the air ; it retained, however, its peculiar odour, and the sulphate 

 of copper dissolved 47.2 parts per cent, of it. On burning 13.125 

 volumes of this gas with 81.5 volumes of oxygen, there was a re- 

 mainder of 66.7. If it be admitted that the gas not soluble in the 

 sulphate of copper is pure hydrogen, which is very probable, on 

 account of its remaining so long over the mercury, it will be found, 

 from this experiment, that 100 parts of this gas are burnt by 200 

 parts of oxygen. 



By passing a current of phosphuretted hydrogen gas into a 

 solution of sulphate of copper a black precipitate is formed, and 

 the solution becomes more acid than it was. Disengaged from the 

 copper by sulphuretted hydrogen, and mixed with chloride of 

 barium in excess, and then filtered, the ammonia yields no precipi- 

 tate, which proves that it contains no phosphoric acid. 



The black precipitate was dissolved in nitromuriatic acid, and the 

 solution, after having been precipitated by chloride of barium, was 

 evaporated to dryness. The remainder, dissolved in water, was 

 treated with sulphuretted hydrogen to separate the copper. Am- 

 monia added to the solution produced an abundant precipitation of 

 phosphate of barytes. Nevertheless, the black precipitate appear- 

 ing easily to undergo alteration, it was not thought necessary to 

 subject it to a rigorous analysis. — Ann. de Chimie, Juin. 



12. Combustibility of Carbon increased by Platina and Copper. 

 — The following experiment is due to Wcehler: — Rasped cork is to 

 be heated in close vessels with ammonio-muriate of platina, or 

 verdegris, when a charcoal will be obtained, which, though it will 

 not inflame spontaneously, does so if slightly heated, and then 

 continues to burn of itself. The charcoal obtained from cork with- 

 out these additions does not inflame at so low a temperature, nor 

 continue to burn in small masses if once inflamed and left to itself. 



This effect is analogous to that discovered by Dobereiner as be- 



