186 On Sulpkuret of Carbon. [MaAch, 



ing in vapour through muriate of silver in fusion, without occasion- 

 ing any alteration, it was demonstrated that this liquid contains no 

 traces of hydrogen in its' composition. 



When a mixture of the liquid in vapour and oxygen gas were 

 detonated over mercury, there were formed sulpliurous acid, car- 

 bonic acid, and carbonic oxide gas. Hence it was obvious that its 

 constituents were carbon and sulphur. Many unsuccessful attempts 

 were made to determine the proportion of the constituents; the 

 method that at last succeeded was to pass the oil very slowly through 

 red-hot peroxide of iron, and receive the gaseous products in a jar 

 over mercury. Most of the sulphur coaiomed with the iron, and 

 formed a sulphuret. The gaseous products were a mixture of sul- 

 phurous and carbonic acids. The brown oxide of lead being intro- 

 duced absorbed the sulphurous acid gas, and left the carbonic. The 

 iron was dissolved in nitro-rauriatic acid, the iron thrown down by 

 ammonia, the liquid neutralized by muriatic acid was precipitated 

 by muriate of barytes, and the sulphate of barytes obtained deter- 

 mined the quantity of sulphur that had united with the iron. By 

 this method it was ascertained that alcohol of sulphur is a com- 

 pound of 



Sulphur 84-83 100 



Carbon 15-17 i;-89 



100-00 



From the experiments of Professor Berzelius it appears that the 

 sulphuret of carbon has the property of combining with saline bases. 

 These coml)ination5 he distinguishes by the name of curlu-sidplm- 

 rels. The carbo-sulphuret of ammonia is a solid yellow uncrystal- 

 lized substance, very deliquescent^ and partially decomposed by so- 

 lution in water. 



Carbo-sulphuret of lime is obtained by passing the vapour of sul- 

 phuret of carbon tlirough lime heated in a tube. It is tasteless and 

 msoluble in water. When digested in water hydro-sulj)huret of 

 lime is obtained. Carbo-suljjhurcts of baiytes and strontian may 

 be formed in the same way, and possess similar properties. 



When sulphuret of carbon is left exposed to the spontaneous 

 action of nitro-muriatic acid it is gradually converted into a solid 

 white substance, resembling camphor in apjjearance, and possessing 

 many of tlie properties of that substance. Berzelius, by some very 

 elaborate and ingenious experiments, ascertained that it was a com- 

 bination of three distinct acids, the n)uriatic, the sulphurous, and 

 the carbonic. 



APPENDIX. 



Some additional Remnrhs on certain Comlinalinns of the Alcohol of 

 Sulphur, or Sulphuret of' Carbon. By Prol'essor Berzelius. 



1. It was observed in, the paper published in the Philosophical 

 Transactions for 1813, j^age \0'\, that the sulpliu ret of carbon was 



