on the Alcohol of Sulphur , or Sulphur et oj Carbon. 1^7 



vessel is found to contain portions of sulphureous and carbonic 

 aeid. The peculiar substance, in its dry state, does not alter 

 litmus paper ; but it reddens it strongly if the paper be mois- 

 tened. When exposed to the action of boiling water, this 

 body volatilizes through the water, but the remaining liquor 

 contains some muriatic and a little sulphuric acid. Water, 

 therefore, has the power of decomposing, though very slowly, 

 this substance. Indeed if it be left a long time in contact with 

 a small proportion of water, the liquor becomes strongly acid. 

 Liquid caustic potash assisted by heat, dissolves the peculiar 

 substance without any disengagement of gas. This solution 

 is colourless ; when neutralized by sulphuric acid no precipi- 

 tation takes place from it, which shews that the alkali decom- 

 poses the peculiar body. Sulphuric acid, however, produces 

 a slight effervescence, and the liquor exhales a smell of sul- 

 phureous acid. On adding to it a solution of sulphate of silver, 

 muriated silver is precipitated. 



These results tend to shew, that the substance in question 

 contains sulphur and carbon in combination with oxygen, that 

 is in the state of sulphureous and carbonic acid; for otherwise, 

 some carbon would have been precipitated, or some sulphuret 

 or hydrosulphuret of potash would have been formed. 



And again, a portion of the problematic substance being 

 sublimed through ignited lime in a glass tube, it was absorbed 

 by the lime without any vestige of sulphuret of lime being 

 formed, or any carbon deposited. And a similar experi- 

 ment being tried with ignited metallic iron, instead of lime, 

 some muriate of iron and a sulphuret of oxyd of iron* were 

 formed, and carbonic acid gas was disengaged. This last 



• Sulpbure d'oxiduU defer. 



Dds 



