BISMUTH. 409 



to it, was left for three or four days on the sand 

 bath ; at first the heat applied did not exceed 

 that of boiling water, but the tube was brought 

 gradually towards the hottest part of the sand 

 bath, till the temperature was at last between 

 600 and 700. Finally, it was raised high 

 enough to drive off all the mercury and the cor- 

 rosive sublimate which had escaped decomposi- 

 tion ; the weight of the chloride of bismuth was 

 within Tsth of a grain of 13'5 grains. The loss 

 of roth of a grain, I ascribe to the volatilization 

 of a small portion of the chloride, which it is 

 very difficult to avoid. If we compare this ex- 

 periment with the preceding, it will be obvious 

 that the chloride of bismuth is a compound of 



1 atom chlorine 4*5 

 1 atom bismuth 9 



13-5 



3. The atomic weight of bismuth deduced 

 from the oxydation of the metal, is still farther 

 confirmed by the sulphuret. This sulphuret 

 occurs native, and may be easily formed artifi- 

 cially, by heating together bismuth and sulphur, 

 and keeping up the heat till the excess of the 

 sulphur is driven off. Nine grains of pure bis- 

 muth converted into a sulphuret in this way, in 

 a green glass tube, became eleven grains of 

 sulphuret, showing that the sulphuret is a com- 

 pound of 



