ANNALS 
OF 
PHILOSOPHY. 
OCTOBER, 1822. 
ARTICLE I. 
A preliminary Account of a new Class of Compounds of Sulphur. 
By W. C. Zeise, Doctor of Philosophy, and Professor of Che- 
mistry in the University at Copenhagen.* 
IF a certain quantity of sulphuret of carbon is poured into a 
solution of potash, soda, or ammonia, in alcohol, ‘either pure, or 
containing a small portion of wager, a neutral liquid is obtained, 
though the sulphuret of carbon by itself never shows any 
acid properties: the reason is, that this sulphuret combines 
- with other substances, and forms a new acid which is capable of 
neutralizing the alkalies. If potash has been used, the new formed 
salt may be obtained either by great refrigeration, or by evapo- 
ration, or it may be precipitated by sulphuric ether. The salt 
contains neither a trace of carbonic acid, nor sulphuretted 
hydrogen, but the acid in this compound is of a peculiar nature, 
and contains carbon, sulphur, and hydrogen ; it is the same with 
respect to sulphuret of carbon that the hydrocyanic acid is 
with respect to cyanogen. I have called its compounds with 
bases hydrocarbosulphates. Some of the most remarkable pro- 
perties of the hydrocarbosulphate of potash are the following : 
This salt crystallizes in long needles, or in a fibrous mass, com- 
a of similar crystals. It has a peculiar smell even after 
aving been dried under the air pump ; its taste is a little like 
sulphur, peculiar, however, and very strong ; it remains dry in 
the open air, and is very soluble in water; the aqueous solution 
* Extract of a paper read at the Royal Society at Copenhagen, May 17, 1822, 
R 
New Series, Vou, Iv, 
