132 On a Liquid Sulphur. 



1 pound of pyritised wood, coarsely pulverised, (gave twer 



ounces ot alcohol ot" salpluir) ; 

 4 ounces of pyrites, and 1 ounce of bituniivious wood; 

 4 *^ - ^ and I ounce of fossil wood; 

 4 '^ "^ - and 1 ounce of coals; 



4 M. ^ - and 1 ounce of saw -dust; 

 4 *• - - and 1 ounce of anthracite. 



These substances, reduced to powder and treated as above, 

 gave from 7 to 6 ^ros of alcohol of sulphur. 



Since anthracite gives no empyreuniatic oil, but only car- 

 bonated hydrogen gas (perhaps also gaseous oxide of carbon) , 

 it appears that the presence of this oil is not necessary to the 

 formation of the product, which can be considered only as 

 a compound of enipyrcumatic oil and sulphur. 



In all these operations, less sulphur is obtained than in 

 distilling niartial pyrites alone. There may be other means 

 <>f preparing tins substance, but T never obtained any of it 

 '■hen I employed charcoal with pvrltes. It is possible that 

 M.at uhich i took in 1 7f)0 was not completely carbonised, a« 

 sometimes happens, or that some circumstance in the opera- 

 tion had paflieulaily favoured the combination of the sul- 

 phur with the substance which constitutes the alcohol of 



Of the numerous properties of this substance, I remarked 

 only the following: 



1. A penetrating odour. 



2. Extreme volatility. Alcohol of sulphur boils at 32" of 

 Reamnur ; the barometer being at 26 in. 6 lines. Ey 

 evaporation it produces a great deal of cold; and in tin.-? 

 respect it surpasses all the others known. 



o. The specilic gravity is 1300, which is the more extra- 

 ordinarv considering its volatility. 



4: It is exceedingly inflammable : the least electric or 

 galvanic spark is suQlcient to make it burn, and it leaves no 

 residuum bv its combustion. The product, on the contrar\-, 

 IS sulphuric acid and a little water. Hitherto no carbon has 

 been found. The flame is blue, and without smoke. 



5. It is exceedingly soluble in spirit of wine. 



6. It dissolves phosphorus with extreme rapidity, and 

 nvithout the aid of heat. If a little of this solution be put on 

 nafX'T, the paper inflames at the end of ten or fifteen minutes. 

 This solution when poured into water docs not shine. At 

 10* of Reaunun- the alcohol of sulphur can dissolve a weight 

 of phosphorus cfpial to its own. 



7. It has an extraordinary refringcnt power. 



3 ' 8. Water 



