181 ».] On the Composition of Sulphuret of Antimony. 97 



Antimony 72-91 100 



Sulphur 27-00 37 



100-00 



To finish this historical sketch, it only remains to be stated, that 

 Vauquelin some years ago made a set ofexperiments to determine 

 With how much sulphur the different metals could be made to 

 combine, when fused with it in a covered vessel. Among bis other 

 results, he found that artificial sulphuret of Antimony is composed 



Antimony 75 100 



Sulphur 25 33'333 



100* 



This result coincides exactly with the previous determination of 

 Proust. 



Such, as far as I am acquainted with the subject, are the experi- 

 ments hitherto made to determine the composition of sulphuret of 

 antimony. They do not differ from each other so much as might 

 have been expected, considering the imperfection of the data, ac- 

 cording to which some of these experiments were conducted. 1 be 

 following table exhibits a synoptical view of these experiments, be- 

 ginning witli Wenzel who gives the smallest proportion of sulphur, 

 and terminating with Berzelius, who gives the greatest proportion 

 of that constituent. 



Antimony. Sulphur. 



Wenzel 100 + 2.9S70 



Proust , 1 00 -f 33-333 



Vauquelin 100 + 33*333 



John Davy 100 + 34-960 



Bergman 100 + 35-035 



Berzelius 100 -f- 37*000 



The results of Wenzel and Berzelius differ considerably from 

 each other, and likewise from all the rest. But if we were to 

 leave them out, the other four experimenters approach pretty nearly 

 to each other. If we omit Wenzel's experiment, which de- 

 viates most from the others, and bears the greatest appearance of 

 inaccuracy, the mean of all the others -rives us 35-572, tor the pro- 

 portion of sulphur combined with 100 antimony in sulphuret of 

 antimony. Now this number in alt probability is not far from the 

 truth. 



I thought it worth while to institute a set of new experiments, to 

 ite the composition of this native sulphuret with as much 



precis impossible; because an accurate knowledge of it would 



be oi considerable assistance to us, in enabling us to determine the 



• Ann. df Mm. d'Miii. Nat. x\ii. 13S. 



Vo/.IV. NMJ. G 



