{ 265 Jj 
XLV. An Attempt to determine the definite and simple Pro- 
portions, in which the constituent Parts of unorganic Sub- 
stances are united with each other. By Jacop Brrzz- 
Lius, Professor of Medicine and Pharmacy, and M.R.A. 
Stockholm. 
(Continued from p. 182.) ~ 
2. Sulphureted Hydrogen as an Acid (the Hydrotheic). 
Sutpuurerep hydrogen is a combination of hydrogen with 
sulphur corresponding to the sulphuret of lead and to the 
sulphuret of iron at a minimum. It has most of the cha- 
racters of an acid, and affords saline combinations with 
some bases. Hence a question arises, Whether the hy- 
drotheic acid contains oxygen? I shall hereafter mention 
the quantity of oxygen probably contained in hydrogen, 
which amounts only to °005 of the whole weight of the 
sulphureted hydrogen. It would therefore be expected that 
sulphur should be an oxygenized body; for a substance 
deriving its properties as an acid from oxygen must na- 
turally contain more than 4 per cent. of it. 
Some years ago, I made an analysis of sulphureted hy- 
drogen (4fh. ii. 78 ) and employed in it the hydrotheate of 
the protoxide of zinc, which I found to consist of 72 parts 
of the protoxide, 25 of sulphureted hydrogen, and three of 
water. Although I did not then pay so much attention 
to minute accuracy as I have lately done, I am persuaded 
that there cannot be an error of more than J per cent. 
which is here of no consequence. Now according to my 
analysis of the protoxide of zinc, 72 parts of it contain 
14°12 of oxygen; so that if sulphureted hydrogen, like 
every other acid, is required to contain 2, 3, or 4 times as 
much oxygen as the base which saturates it, the least pos< 
sible quantity must be 14°12 x 2=28°24, or more than the 
whole amount of the hydrotheic acid: and if we supposed 
the quantity of oxygen to be simply equal to that of the 
basis, this would still be something more than half the 
weight of the hydrotheic acid. I shall hereafter explain 
how far this is reconcileable with our views of the subject. 
It is not absolutely necessary that this acid, so called, 
should contain oxygen; for its combinations with bases de- 
pend principally on the affinity of the sulphur, since in the 
hydrotheates the sulphur and the metallic body are in the 
same proportions as in the sulphurets. On the part of the 
metal some oxygen is added, and on the part of the sulpbur, 
as much hydrogen as would be required to convert that 
oxygen into water, If the metallic base attracts the oxygen 
; ; more 
