364 SULPHUREt OF CARliON. 



is placed a little inclined across a furnace ; at one end a recurved 

 glass tube dips into water, and the other end is open. The furnace 

 being in action, a fragment of sulphur is pushed along by a wire 

 till it is near the charcoal, taking care to exclude the air as much as 

 possible ; the open end of the tube is then stopped, gas passes in 

 abundance, and a liquid collects beneath the water ; more bits of 

 sulphur may be introduced, till enough of the liquid is obtained, and 

 it is said that half a pint may be procured in a day. 



(b.) The following process I find to be a good one, A tube of iron 

 is placed across Black's furnace, as a protection to a tube of porcelain 

 which is passed through it. A glass flask containing flowers of sulphur, 

 coated with lute of sand, clay and rye flour, is connected with one end 

 of the iron tube, and at the other is a glass tube passing into water, 

 contained in a vessel surrounded by ice. Pieces of charcoal, recent- 

 ly ignited, are placed in the porcelain tube, and heat is applied by 

 a chafing dish under the flask ; the sulphur is slowly volatilized 

 through tire charcoal ; the two combine, and the desired yellow liquid 

 drops from the mouth of the tube. The principal point is to bring- 

 the sulphur into contact with the charcoal when it is very hot and 

 has ceased to emit gases. 



(c.) Another process, stated also to be a good one, is to distil na- 

 tive iron pyrites, (bi-sulphuret of iron,) with one fifth of its weight of 

 charcoal powder. 



2. PROPERTIES. 



(.) After being re-distilled at a heat not exceeding 100 or 110 

 Fahr., from some dry muriate of lime placed in a retort, it is color- 

 less, transparent and limpid;* its refractive power very high. 



{b.) Taste acrid, pungent, and somewhat aromatic; smell nauseous 

 and fetid, but unlike that of sulphuretted hydrogen. Inflammable, 

 and its combustion produces sulphurous and carbonic acid gases. 

 Insoluble in water. 



(c.) Sp. gr. 1.27; boils at 106 or 110, does not freeze at 60; 

 very volatile, at 63.5 Fahr. its vapor sustains a column of mercury 

 7.36 inch high, and during its evaporation produces so much cold as 

 to freeze mercury. The thermometer ball is covered with fine lint, 

 moistened with the liquid, and placed under the receiver of an air 

 pump. A spirit thermometer at the same time indicated 80. 



(d.) Not decomposed, by heat alone, at any temperature ; but it is 

 decomposed by being transmitted over ignited iron or copper turn- 

 ings ; also by peroxide of iron ; or by heating potassium in its vapor, 

 when there is a brilliant ignition ; the sulphur always combines with 

 the metal and liberates the carbon. 



(e.) It is very combustible, and produces sulphurous and carbonic 

 acid ; a little sulphur remains unburnt. Placed in oxygen gas or 



* Sometimes a little milky and opaque at first, but becomes limpid the next day. 



