356: On the Composition of the Alkaline Sulphurets. [Nov« 
The compound of potash, when cooled, was of a pale cinnabar-. 
red colour, and when dissolved in water, the solution was. 
colourless. In this case there was formed, not the hydrosul- 
phuret of potash which is colourless, but sulphuret of potas- 
sium at a minimum K S? which is red, and consequently may 
be fused with hydrate of potash, as we have also seen that it 
may be with sulphate of potash. But if, at this high tempera- 
ture (when the water is ready to evaporate), it is not the liquid, 
bat the potash which is decomposed, and a hyposulphite, and a 
sulphuretted metal is formed, why should not this occur at 
a low temperature when the water further from decomposition 
lias a greater affinity for the substances dissolved? Butif the 
sulphuret of potassium may be mixed with other oxidated bodies, 
it may dissolve or be dissolved by them; as, for example, the 
hydrate, sulphate, and carbonate of potash, as we have already 
seen in decisive examples, why should we not admit that it may 
mix with water, and dissolve in it? Admitting this fact, it will 
follow from it, that the series of compounds of sulphur and 
hydrogen which have been mentioned may exist ; but it will not 
necessarily follow that hydrogen can combine with sulphur inas 
many proportions as potassium. In every case the formation of 
sulphuretted hydrogen is derived from the action of acids; in 
the same way, for example, as the sulphuretted hydrocyanic acid, 
although a well characterized acid, is instantly destroyed when 
mixed with potash, and occasions the formation of sulphocyanu- 
ret of potassium, but is again formed when an acid is added. 
On the other hand, we have the corresponding compounds of 
ammonia, with their different quantities of sulphur, and with 
hydrogen; when, after separating ammonia, there remain several 
sulphurets of hydrogen. But if the ammonia is not an oxide, 
and if the metal which deposits upon the mercury at the negative 
pole of the electric pile is composed of A z + 4 H, the ditterent 
degrees of sulphuration of ammonia must also be considered as 
solutions of a metallic sulphuret, but of a sulphuret with a com- 
pound base. Ina word, the more this subject is examined, the 
more difficult it is to give a decided preference to either of the 
two explanations ; and, for the present, it will, perhaps, be better 
to confine ourselves to the study of them. 
It is extremely probable that the greater number of bodies 
may combine together in an equal number of proportions, that 
the metals have an equal number of oxides and of sulphurets, 
and that we are acquainted with but few of them, because we 
have not discovered the means of producing those compounds 
which are most readily decomposed, on account either of the 
weakness of the affinities, or of the mechanical construction of 
the compound atom. The study of the properties of hepar 
strengthen this idea. Several metals have hitherto given us 
but one sulphuret, as, for example, lead and silver; but with the 
hepar we may precipitate these metals from their solutions, 
er 
