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XXT. On a Liquid Sulphur. By Professor Lampadius*, 



i-N the year 179G I discovered a liquid sulphur, which I 

 obtained while distilling martial pyrites with charcoal, in 

 order to trv^vhether I could not extract a greater quantity 

 of sulphur from that mineral. I then sent a small quantity 

 of this liquid to my late fmnd Grcn, accompanied with a 

 short notice in regard to some of its principal properties. 

 Chemists, since that time, have p?.id little attention to this 

 subject ; and though I have frequently repeated the experi- 

 ment, I was never able to find this substance again. I was 

 obliged to suspend these researches, but without entirely 

 abandoning the subject. 



Performing some operations lately on pyritised wood, I 

 succeeded in finding different methods of preparing this 

 remarkable substance, and have even examined several of 

 its properties; I shall, therefore, here give an account of my 

 new observations, reserving the more ample details for 

 another opportunity. 



I obtained this liquid, which for the present I shall call 

 alcohol of sulphur, by the distillation of pyritised wood 

 alone, or by distilling martial pyrites with common 

 or bituminous wood, fossil wood, coals, or anthracite. 

 The manner of preparing it is as follows : — Charge an 

 earthen retort with a proper quantity of the earth, and to the 

 beak join an adajttor, which is immersed in a receiver filled 

 with water : a communication, by means of a tube, is 

 formed between the latter, with a pneumato-chemical appa- 

 ratus. When the wl.-jle is well luted, kindle the fire, carry 

 it to a white heat, and conduct the operation nearly in the 

 same manner as for the preparation of phosphorus. A large 

 quantity of sulphurated hydrogen gas is at first disengaged, 

 except when anthracite is employed, and a little empy- 

 reumatic oil > but, as soon as the retort is very red, the 

 alcohol of sulphur passes in small liquid drops, which fall 

 to the bottom of the water: when anthracite is employed it 

 is white, and contains no empvreumatic oil, with which it is 

 always tainted when the other substances are used. To 

 separate tliis oil, it is again distilled by a lamp heat in a 

 retort with a little water, and the beak of the retort is im- 

 mersed in distilled water. By this means it is obtained 

 jicrfectly white. 



The proportions of the substances which I put into the 



'jrt, and which no doubt might be varied, were: 



'■' Troin the Annalf! tie Cbimie, No- 147. 



I 3 1 pound 



