On the Re-action of Sulphuret of Carbon, Ssc. 153 



kydrosnlphocyanic acid. Strong sulphuric acid, added to the solid 

 salt, yields a white fatty-looking substance, not dissolving in 

 water, but decomposed by it. Diluted acid added to diluted so- 

 lution of the salt, after a time causes a turbidness with some pe- 

 culiar appearances ; when considerably diluted, after standing 

 some time, sulphuret of carbon was deposited. If a salt of per- 

 oxide of iron were added before the turbidness came on, then a mul- 

 titude of small white crystalline scales were formed. 



18. Some of the solid salt of ammonia, heated in a small re- 

 tort up to 140° Fahr., fused with effervescence, emitting gas and 

 vapours, the latter condensing in the receiver at 300° Fahr. ; this 

 evolution was very rapid : after some time, raising the heat to 392° 

 Fahr. the fused portion became brown ; the liberation of volatile 

 matter diminished; the substance became solid, so that, at last,, 

 although red hot, a greyish-yellow solid body was left. The 

 contents of the receiver, were, the reddening salt before described,, 

 .and a white substance, probably hydrocyanate of ammonia. 

 There was no sulphate or carbonate, from which it may be con- 

 cluded that the salt contained no water. The gas was sulphu- 

 retted hydrogen, doubtless mixed with cyanogen and nitrogen. 

 There was no odour like that produced by distiUing the hydroxan- 

 thates. 



19. The yellow mass, bearing a high temperature, cannot be 

 sulphur, but a peculiar compound. Boiled with solution of potash 

 it is but slightly attacked ; but evaporated to dryness, heated, and 

 then acted on by water, it gives the common hydrosulphocyanate 

 of potash; it must therefore contain sulphur, carbon, and hydro- 

 gen, (nitrogen?) It inflames with difficulty, producing sulphu- 

 rous acid ; heated considerably, without access of air, one part is 

 destroyed, whilst another sublimes without change. Water, al- 

 cohol, sulphuret of carbon, or muriatic acid, have no action on it. 

 Boiling nitric acid acts on it slowly, and sulphuric acid seems to 

 soften and dissolve it. 



Combinations of Bases obtained from this Salt. 



20. As before mentioned, solution of copper gives a precipitate 

 of a pale-yellow colour, which should be washed with cold water. 

 The precipitate does not separate readily, until the whole of the 

 ammoniacal salt is decomposed. The precipitate by nitrate of 

 lead is re-dissolved by excess of the nitrate. — 21. The precipitates 

 of copper and mercury, heated out of contact with the air, be- 

 came black, and a substance sublimed which became a yellow-co- 

 loured solid : cinnabar also rose from the mercury ; a sulphuret 

 remained from the copper precipitate, and a portion of substance 

 like that described (19) was produced. — 22. As to the composition 

 of the lead and mercury precipitates, it is, without doubt, analogous 

 to that of the copper precipitate, a compound of the metallic sulpha- 



