15S New Properties discovered in 



holds in folution, the oxygen of which, joining a portion 

 of the phofphorus, effects its feparation from the hydrogen by 

 converting it into phofphorous oxyd, which being altogether 

 infoluble, depofits itfelf on the fides of the veffel, without any 

 appearance in this kind of oxydation of any fenfible fign of 

 combullion ; while the oxygen of the atmofpheric air, which 

 participates in the liquidity of the water, being always in that 

 cafe deprived of a large portion of the light and caloric which 

 are combined with it in its aerial aggregation, cannot pro- 

 duce thefe two effects in a very fenfible manner when it 

 paffes in this ftate of liquid aggregation from one combina- 

 tion to another. 



Having again agitated the bottle after doling the mouth of 

 it, I was able, by means of the fmaTl quantity of water which 

 had been introduced into it, and of which I kept an exact 

 account, to render the abforption of the lafr. portions of the 

 gas complete ; for, having a fecond time uncorked the bottle 

 in the fame diftilled water, I then faw it become entirely 

 filled. I think I may affirm, therefore, from thefe trials, 

 and fome others which I made, that water freed from air by 

 diftillation can diffolve and liquefy, at the ufual temperature, 

 a littie lefs than the fourth of its volume of phofphorifed hy- 

 drogen gas, and that with this dofe it is completely faturated. 



This folution thus prepared, and kept free from the con- 

 tact of the air, always exhibited the following properties : 



In colour, it has a pretty near refemblance to fuiphur in 

 flicks, though a little lefs dark : it has a iirono- difaerreeable 

 odour, and an exceedingly bitter, naufeous, and difgufting 

 tafte. 



When examined in the dark, this folution does not appear 

 luminous ; which proves that the phofphorus is intimately 

 combined in it with the hydrogen. 



When diitilled in- a fmall retort, connected with a pneu- 

 tnatic apparatus, it furniihes, at a temperature a little above 

 that of boiling water, and elpecially when diftilled foon 

 after it has been prepared, a very large quantity of phof- 

 phorifed hydrogen gas, as pure and as combuftible as that 

 obtained by heating cauftic alkalies, or quicklime, with 

 phofphorus and a very fmall quantity of water: what after- 

 4. \va*ds 



