446 On the Action and Nature of [June, 



me probable ; in which case we should have, by dissolving sul- 

 phur in a solution of potash, 



Hydrosulphate of potash, 

 Hyposulphite of potash, 

 Sulphuret of potash. 



Without the existence of the last compound, I do not see how 

 sulphur could be precipitated by an acid ; and unless the first 

 existed, hydrosulphuric acid could not be evolved by the same 

 means ; and it seems requisite to suppose the existence of the 

 second in order to dispose of the oxygen. 



This subject will, perhaps, admit of illustration by observing 

 what happens when chlorine is passed into an aqueous solution 

 of potash. The water is decomposed, its hydrogen combines 

 with chlorine to form hydrochloric, and its oxygen with another 

 portion of chlorine to form chloric, acid ; this then is perfectly 

 analogous to what I have supposed to occur with sulphur. It 

 might indeed be imagined that the sulphur is converted into 

 sulphuric acid instead of hyposulphurous ; but this does not 

 happen, for the solution when decomposed by muriatic acid 

 affords no traces of the sulphuric on the addition of a barytic 

 salt. 



Whether a compound of chlorine and potash exists, I know 

 not ; but chloruret of lime is a well-known compound, and if 

 chlorate, and consequently hydrochlorate of lime can also be 

 formed by the action of chlorine upon water and lime, then 

 the parallel between the actions of chlorine and sulphur will be 

 complete; we should have hydrosulphate, hyposulphite, and 

 chloruret of lime. 



When sulphuret of antimony is boiled in solution of potash, 

 what happens? We have sulphur, a metallic oxide, and a metal, 

 operating upon and decomposing water ; and when soda is used 

 instead of potash (which is the same for the argument), a crys- 

 tallized salt is obtained, which consists of hydrosulphuric acid, 

 soda, and oxide of antimony. When sulphuric acid is added to 

 this solution, hydrosulphuric acid is given out, and sulphate of 

 soda formed, by the decomposition of the hydrosulphate of soda; 

 but the hydrosulphate of antimony not being decomposed by the 

 sulphuric acid and (unless when it forms a double salt), being 

 insoluble, it is precipitated of an orange colour, consisting, there 

 is no doubt, of hydrosulphuric acid and oxide of antimony. 

 Now it is by no means easy to discover what happens in this 

 case. Let us suppose we are operating upon an atom each of 

 potash, antimony, and sulphur ; if only 1 atom of water be 

 decomposed, then protoxide of antimony, as we have reason to 

 suppose is the case, would be formed by the union of 44 of anti- 

 mony with 8 of oxygen. We have then 1 b' of sulphur to com- 

 bine with 1 of hydrogen to form 17=1 atom hydrosulphuric 



