194 ^^^f' Berzeltus's Experiments 



saturated. During this process, none of the sulphuret of car- 

 bon escapes, the whole of it being absorbed by the lime. The 

 earth, at its surface, is found yellowish, owing to the formation 

 of a little sulphuret of lime, but this appearance ceases on 

 removing the surface, shewing that it arises from the contact 

 of air. The earthy mass is tasteless, when first applied to the 

 tongue, but a bitter taste, with a smell of sulphuretted hydro- 

 gen are soon perceived. It is no longer susceptible of being 

 heated or dissolved by water. If digested with water in close 

 vessels, a solution of hydrosulphuret of lime is obtained, and 

 the undissolved portion is mostly found to be carbonate of 

 lime. 



Carhosulphurets of harytes and strontian may be produced in 

 a similar manner, and are found to possess analogous pro- 

 perties. 



There can be no doubt but that the two fixed alkalies, in a 

 state of perfect dryness, would form, with the sulphuret of 

 carbon, carhosulphurets of potash and soda, quite analogous to 

 those just described; but as these alkalies cannot be obtained 

 in an anhydral state, I could only examine their action on the 

 sulphuret of carbon when in a state of solution. The ge- 

 neral result of these trials was, that if a quantity of the sul- 

 phuret of carbon be long digested, at a very gentle heat, with 

 a solution of caustic potash, the sulphuret of carbon is decom- 

 posed, and the mixture resolves itself into a hydrosulphuret, 

 and carbosulphuret, and a carbonate of potash. 



In the same manner, if sulphuret of carbon be long digested 

 with liquid caustic ammonia, it dissolves very slowly, forming 

 an orange coloured solution analogous to that in caustic potash 

 just described. 



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