410 New Inquiries into the Nature of the Liquor obtained 
2. A milky liquid, weighing 43°5 grammes, apparently water 
saturated with sulphuretted hydrogen and mixed with precipi- 
tated sulphur, probably from the reaction of a small quantity of 
sulphurous acid on a portion of sulphuretted hydrogen. 
3. A very slight layer of a solid, flexible, lamellous reddish 
matter, having a slight smell of hydrogenated sulphur, and lining 
the inside of the two bell-glasses. 
Operation Il. The substance remaining in the retort, which 
had been carefully closed, was withdrawn: immediately upon 
taking away the lengthening tube, one kilogramme was added 
of the same sulphuret of iron pulverized and well dried in a 
melting-pot. It was mixed perfectly and very speedily, in order 
that the matter might be as little as possible in contact with 
the air. The mixture was introduced into a retort, the ap- 
paratus above described was adapted, and the operation con- 
ducted in the same way. 
Much less gas was set free: several flasks were collected at 
various stages of the operation, always using the same water. 
These gases were, as in the first operation, a mixture of sulphu- 
retted hydrogen, carbonic acid, oxycarburetted hydrogen and 
azote in variable proportions. There was remarked, as in the 
first operation, a liquor at first diaphanous, afterwards milky, and 
then slightly citron-coloured. The operation was stopped in 
four or five hours, and the apparatus dismounted. In the flask 
there were 30°4 grammes of a liquor composed of two layers : 
the upper was slightly yellow, the under slightly citron. 
The lengthening tube contained a much thicker coating of 
reddish brown matter, flexible, lamellous, and slightly elastic. 
Operation III. There was added as above | kilogramme of 
the same sulphuret of iron pulverized and dried, but only one 
half of the residue of the preceding operation, and the operation 
was conducted in the same way. The same phenomena were 
observed, but the gas was less considerable ; and it was suffo- 
cating, having the smell of sulphureous acid at the same time 
with that of sulphuretted hydrogen. This smell had not been re- 
marked in the first two operations, and we were far from ex- 
pecting it. M. Proust, however, in his experiments upon the 
metallic sulphurets* had remarked a similar circumstance. We 
shall see a little further on, under what circumstances these two 
gases may be in contact without being decomposed. The water 
in the earthen jar, which in the first two operations had remained 
nearly transparent, was milky on this occasion. 
Operation 1V. Two kilogrammes of the same sulphuret of 
iron were added to the half of the residue of the preceding ope- 
ration. 72°5 grammes of liquor formed like the former were 
* Journal de Physique, tome liii, p. 90. 
obtained. 
