<)6 PHOSPHORUS. 



years been devised for giving light instantly and spontaneously, as 

 soon as the) an- uncovered and COIDP in contact with the air. 



This has hitherto been r> garded as a simple combustible, and 

 must be so regarded at pirsmt : though various experiments with 

 very high degrees of voltaic electricity appear to have detected that 

 it is a compound, possessing hydrogen and oxygen with a peculiar 

 base. In consistence it resembles wax ; when pure it is nearly of 

 the transparency of gum opal, of a colour varying from amber red 

 to the faintest straw, highly combustible, and when oxygenated 

 producing a strong and peculiar acid. 



It was discovered by a German chemist of the name of Brandt, 

 about a hundred and fifty years ago, and the preparation was long 

 kept a lucrative secret in the hands of a few persons. It was how. 

 ever well known, from various facts that had escaped, that it was 

 procured in some way or other from human urine ; and it has at 

 length been found that it is in consequence of this substance con. 

 taming a peculiar salt, hence denominated phosphoric salt (a mix. 

 ture of phosphorus and oxygen), that phosphorus can be procured 

 from it; as it has also that it can in like manner be procured from 

 any other animal substance impregnated with the same material ; 

 and consequently from the bones and crustaceous integuments of 

 animals, in which it exists in a larger abundance, and which are 

 now therefore usually employed for this purpose. 



One of the earliest chemists, next to Brandt, who devoted his at. 

 tentioa in a very considerable degree towards obtaining this com. 

 bustible was Kunckel. This chemist had seen the new product 

 soon after its discovery by Brandt; and strongly desirous of pos- 

 sessing the secret, he associated himself with a friend of Brandt's, 

 whose name was Krafft, through whom he made an offer to purchase 

 the discovery of its inventor. Brandt consented to disclose it ; 

 but Krafft, instead of benefiting his colleague by the communica. 

 tion, paid the money, and retained the secret to himself. 



Kunckel at this time knew nothing more of the preparation than 

 that it was obtained by a series of processes from urine, through the 

 medium of fire : and with this brief and unsatisfactory outline he 

 set to work, and was at leng th fortunate enough to discover the 

 method for himself; on which account the substance long went un- 

 der the name of Kunckel's phosphorus. Mr. Boyle is also const, 

 dered as one of the discoverers of phosphorus. He communicated 

 the secret of the process of preparing it to the Royal Society of 



