88 An Account of some Experiments on the 



and sulphur, and chlorine and phosphorus; these, too, 

 having the power of dissolving sulphur, and phosphorus, 

 and resin, and of entering into union with the fixed and 

 volatile oils. 



It is difficult to ascertain the proportion of the consti- 

 tuent parts of this compound by the ordinary modes of 

 analysis. I have chosen therefore a synthetical method in 

 preference ; and from repeated experiments I find that two 

 grains of arsenic require for complete conversion into the 

 fuming liquor, four cubic inches exactly of chlorine gas. 



The experiments were thus conducted : the arsenic in 

 one piece was put into a small glass retort having a stop- 

 cock, the retort w as exhausted, and a known volume of 

 chlorine gas was admitted from a graduated receiver by 

 means of other stop cocks, and the absorption of chlorine, 

 after the entire conversion of the metal into the fuming 

 liquor, was considered as the proportion condensed by the 

 arsenic. 



Now, since 100 cubic inches of chlorine gas weigh just 

 76'5 grains, two grains of arsenic combine with 3*06 grains 

 of chlorine, the weight of four cubic inches of the gas. 

 Hence 100 of the fuming liquor appear tp consist of 

 60-48 chlorine 

 39*32 arsenic 



10000 



As the fuming liquor gives the white oxide when decom- 

 posed by water, arsenicane may be substituted for its old 

 naine. 



The butter of antimony is a well known substance. 

 That which I have examined was obtained by heating to- 

 gether corrosive sublimate and antimony, or antimony and 

 calomel ; and was always purified by a second distillation 

 at a low temperature. The best proportion of corrosive 

 sublimate and the metal for niakino; the compound, I have 

 found to be <2\ parts of the former To one part of the latter. 



The butter of antimony, like arsenicane, is capable, when 

 rendered fluid by heat, of dissolving resin and sulphur, and 

 of combining with the fixed and volatile oils. It affects 

 the oil of turpentine very like the liquor of Libavius; the 

 action is considerable, much heat is produced, and the oil 

 is rendered brown. 



When the tiutter of antimony is decomposed by a suffi- 

 ciently large quantity of the hydrosulphuret of potash, that 

 compound is formed which is commonly called the golden 

 sulphur of antimony, and which when decomposed by heat 



I have 



