14 On some new analytical Researches 



sulphur, from being of a pure yellow, became of a deep rfd 



brown tint. 



The gas, as in the former instance, proved to be sulphu- 

 retted hydrogen. 'Ihe piatina wires were considerably acted 

 upon; the sulphur, at its point of contact with them, had 

 obtained the power of reddening moistened litmus paper. 



I endeavoured to ascertain the quantity of sulphuretted 

 hydrogen evolved in this way from a given quantity of sul- 

 phur, and for this purpose 1 electrized a quantity equal to 

 about two hundred grains in an apparatus of the kind I have 

 just described, and when the upper part of the tube was full 

 of gas, I suffered it to pass into the atmosphere ; so as to 

 enable me to repeat the process. 



When I operated in this way, there seemed to be no limit 

 to the generation of elastic fluid, and in about two hours a 

 quantity had been evolved, which amounted to more than 

 five times the volume of the sulphur employed. From the 

 circumstances of the experiment, the last portion only could 

 be examined, and this proved to be sulphuretted hydrogen. 

 Towards the end of the process, the sulphur became ex- 

 tremely difficult of fusion, and almost opaque, and when 

 cooled and broken, was found of a dirty brown colour. 



The cxperimcnls upon the union of sulphur and potas- 

 sium, which 1 laid before the Society last year, prove that 

 these bodies act upon each other with great energy, and that 

 sulphuretted hydrogen is evolved in the process, with intense 

 heat and light. 



In heating potassium in contact with coin pound inflam- 

 mable substances, such as resin, wax, camphor, and fixed 

 oils in close vessels out of the contact of the air, 1 found 

 that a violent inflammation was occasioned, that hydrocar- 

 bonate was evolved ; and that when the compound was not 

 in great excess, a substance was formed, spontaneously in- 

 flammable at common temperatures, tbc combustible mate- 

 rials of which were charco'^l and potassium. 



Here was a strong analogy between the action of these 

 bodies and sulphur on potassium. Their physical proper- 

 ties likewise resemble thoae of sulphur ; for they a^ree in 

 being non conductors, whether fiuiJ or solid, in being 



transparent 



