- 
BOTANIC. PHYSICIAN. 
-_ the imperfect combustion of wood, is an oxyd of carbon containing — 
pf gs = oe a 100. It is inflammable. Combined with 
: “extremely inconsiderable, and its attractions so weak, that it is 
-d from its combinations by all the other.acids. Carbon, with — 
‘drogen and oxygen, forms several compounds possessing inflam- 
‘mability. Some of them exist in the gaseous form, and diffe x slight- 
ly in their properties from each other. Alcohol, which is the pro- 
duct of fermentation from sugar, and which when pure Is a colours 
less fluid, fragrant and pungent, volatile and inflammable, is a com- 
pound of a similar kind; and ether, which is formed by the action - 
of acids from alcohol, and which is still more light and volati , is | 
of the same composition, differing from alcohol principally in — 
ting a larger proportion of hydrogen, pee 
— Scnenor is a simple inflammable substance found in abundance in 
nature, either pure or in combination with metals. When pure, it 18 
hard and brittle, semi-transparent, of a light yellow color, insipid, 
emitting When slightly heated a feetid smell. Tt melts and volatilizes 
at a very low temperature, that of 185°; at a temperature of 302’, it 
burns with a blue flame, when atmospheric air is admitted. : 
- Sulphur combines with oxygen, hydrogen, phosphorus, with many 
of the metals, and indeed with the greater number of the simple 
bodies. Its combination with oxygen forms the sulphuric, and sul- 
_ phureous acids. The latter is gaseous, has a pungent suffocating 
~ odor; and doesnot possess the acid properties in a very eminent 
degree. The former is fixed and inodorous ; in the general acid 
vers it is superior to any body of the same class; it has a strong 
attraction to water, and is always combined with it; it exerts also 4 
strong affinities to the alkalies, earths and metallic oxyds, and oxy- 
dates the metals, and the greater number of inflammable bodi ; at 
is therefore extensively used in chemical and pharmaceutical ope- 
rations. grr : i 
With hydrogen, sulphur forms a compound, sulphurated hy 
gen, which exists in the zrial form, and is distinguished by its very 
' fetid smell. -It resembles the acids in several of its properties. Sul 
_phur is also a component part of some animal substances, and it has 
een detected in a few vegetables. a) 
4 e last of these simple substances is PHOSPHORUS, a substance 
_ With which we have been made acquainted only by the art of the 
chemist. It exists no Where pure and uncombined, but its acid is — 
found in great abundance in nature. _In the fossil, kingdom, 
"combined with several of the oa one ota 2 At lorms &, 
_ ponent part of many animal and several vegetable prod 
=p! ai is sienpetheueel by « osin 
ing it with carbon, which attracts its : i 
sublimed im close vessels ; it is of a soft tenacious consistence 
It 18 
