36S Observations and Experiments 



phospliorus was melted without any sensible increase of tempe- 

 ratiue, and liquor placed over it lost its red colour, becoming yel- 

 lowish and somewhat turbid. As it appeared that by repose no 

 subsequent change could take place, we applied a moderate heat; 

 and fixinc^ a bent tube in the vessel in which we operated, carried 

 it to a bell-glass receiver over mercury. A strong ebullition im- 

 mediatelv took place, and continued as long as there existed any 

 uncombined phosphorus, although at its commencement the ap- 

 paratus was removed from the action of the fire. The mass be- 

 came of a transparent citrine colour, and an elastic fluid was 

 separated during the experiment, which we recognised to be pure 

 muriatic acid gas. As the experiment was made in a retort, 

 distillation was easily effected without permitting the contact of 

 the atmosphere : the muriatic acid passed over, and a little sul- 

 phurous acid ; the sulphur was sublimed ; a mass remained hav- 

 ing a red colour, and the density of paste. Exposed to a naked 

 fire without removing it from the same receiver, sulphur was 

 again separated from, it, and a white solid mass remained, so- 

 luble in water and with all the properties of phosphoric acid. 

 This weighed 50 parts. Hence the phosphorus was found in- 

 creased in weight by 30 parts of oxygen. Now in 315 parts of 

 oxysulphuretted muriatic acid, there exist 24 of oxygen : thus we 

 see that there was no other loss in this experiment but four parts 

 of oxvgen, which probably constituted the very small portion of 

 sulphurous acid. The existence, therefore, appearing evident of 

 a quantity of oxygen in this liquor, in such a state as to form 

 new combinations with bodies greedy of it, we believed it our 

 duty not to omit experimenting with carbon, thinking that by 

 this means the theory of Berthollet might be established; since, 

 if carbonic acid were formed, we should have a valuable fact to 

 add to those already stated. Taking therefore 3 1 5 parts of oxy- 

 sulphuretted muriatic acid, we put them into a tubulated retort 

 comuiuuicating with a glass tube, within which was carbon ob- 

 tained from the action of pure sulphuric acid on pure alcohol. 

 This carbon was during an hour exposed to the most violent 

 heat, and rapidly introduced into the tube (which passed through 

 a small furnace, and after having two bends was united to a 

 VV^oulf 's apparatus). We commenced by rarefying the air within 

 the vessels by means of a strong heat applied to the whole of 

 their surface, and afterwards we heated the tube. But owing, 

 perhaps, to the badness of the lute which we employed, we 

 found this experiment extremely difficult to conduct to a for- 

 tunate result; as too great a heat melted the glass, while a tem- 

 perature a little inferior left the experiment incomplete. A 

 porcelain tube, had we been able to procure it, might perhaps 

 have pbviated this difficulty, and prevented the necessity of re- 

 peating 



