218 PHYSIOGRAPHY. 



Sulphur Sulphureous Acid. 



come from Cadiz in Spain. Small crystals have been observed investing 

 the brown coal from Artern in Thuringia. It occurs in veins in Swabia, 

 in Spain and in Transylvania. The earthy Sulphur is found in Poland, 

 in Moravia, and other countries; the volcanic Sulphur in Iceland, near 

 Vesuvius, in Milo and several islands of the Grecian Archipelago; in 

 great profusion near the volcanos of Java and the Sandwich islands. 

 Sulphur also occurs in Savoy, in Piedmont, in Switzerland, at Lauenstein 

 in Hanover, in South America, and many other countries. 



4. It requires to be purified, either by melting or by sublimation, in 

 order to be employed in the arts. It is used in the manufacture of gun- 

 powder, of cinnabar, sulphuric acid, and of several pharmaceutical prep- 

 arations. 



SULPHUREOUS ACID. Aeriform Sulphurous- 

 Acid. MOHS. 



Gaseous. Transparent. 



Sp. gr. =2-2553. THENARD and GAY-LUSSAC. 



=2-2295. DAVY. 

 Odor pungent. Taste acid. 



1. According to BERZELIUS, Sulphurous-Acid Gas is composed of 



Sulphur 50-144 



Oxygen 49856 



It is fatal to life, and extinguishes combustion. It reddens, and final- 

 ly destroys vegetable blues. It becomes liquid at a temperature of 

 FAHR., or under a pressure equal to two atmospheres. Water, at 61 

 FAHR., absorbs 33 times its bulk of this gas, or nearly one eleventh of 

 its weight. 



2. It is evolved in great quantities from the waters of active volca- 

 nos, as those of Etna and Mount Vesuvius, and those of (he Sandwich 

 Islands. When emitted along with sulphuretted hydrogen, a mutual 

 decomposition results, and incrustations of sulphur are formed, as in the 

 volcano of Purace, near Popayan. It occurs likewise, along with car- 

 bonic acid, in a cave which is situated in the Bildos hegy, a porphyry 

 hill in Transylvania, on the frontiers of Moldavia. 



3. Sulphurous-Acid Gas, artificially generated by the combustion of 

 sulphur in common air, is used in bleaching silks; likewise, for dischar- 

 ging vegetable stains and iron-moulds from linen. 



