350 M. Berzelius on the [Noy. 
IV. Formation of Hepar in the Moist Way. 
Hepar may be cbtained by two modes in the moist way, either 
by boiling hydrosulphuret of potash with sulphur, or by boiling 
or fusing at a moderate heat hydrate of potash with sulphur. 
We shall examine these processes. 
1. The solution of sulphuret of potassium at a minimum is 
represented by K + 2 H? S, which I shall call subhydrosulphu- 
ret of potash. When this solution in a concentrated state is 
digested with a little sulphur, the latter is dissolved, and we 
obtain by this process sulphuret of potassium of every degree, 
so that the solution may contain 4 atoms of hydrogen and 10 
atoms of sulphur for each atom of potash, or K + H* §'°, 
which is the same compound as that which is formed when the 
sulphuret of potassium at a maximum is dissolved in water. 
2. When the neutral hydrosulphuret of potash K + 4 H? S, 
in the state of concentrated solution is mixed with powdered 
sulphur, there results strong effervescence, even at common 
temperatures ; sulphuretted hydrogen gas is evolved, the sul- 
phur is dissolved, and the solution becomes of an orange colour. 
{f sulphur be added as long as the evolution of the gas conti- 
nues, we obtain the compound K + H?# §'°; so that 8 atoms 
of sulphur expel 2 atoms of sulphuretted hydrogen, or one half 
of the hydrosulphuric acid contained in the salt. 
3. Sulphur digested with hydrate of potash is dissolved. A 
part of the sulphur is acidified in the first degree, and forms 
hyposulphurous acid. If it be supposed that this oxidation 
occurs at the expense of the water, its hydrogen then serves to 
form hydrosulphuric acid, which saturates a part of the potash, 
and this compound then dissolves, as we have already seen, an 
additional quantity of suiphur. When it is saturated, we have 
the compound A + H* S'°. If the quantity of sulphur be 
smaller, inferior sulphurets are formed. 
It is natural to suppose that sulphurous acid might also be 
formed in this operation; I, therefore, attempted but without 
success, to obtain sulphurous or sulphuric acid, by boiling or 
fusing hydrate of potash with very small quantities of sulphur. 
The strongly alkaline solution obtained was mixed with hydrate 
of copper till it became colourless ; it was filtered and supersa- 
turated with muriatic acid. Much sulphur was precipitated, and 
sulphurous acid was at the same time evolved. Such being the 
case, although only a small quantity of sulphur dissolved, there 
is no reason to suppose that sulphurous acid is formed in any of 
the above descriptions. 
In order to determine the proportions in which the hyposul- 
phurous acid and sulphuretted hydrogen are combined with 
potash in the highest degree of saturation, I dissolved some sul- 
