Biography of Berzelius. 309 
bodies were regarded as combinations of sulphur with alkalies un- 
1elted with sulphur, a part of the alkali was reduced to the 
metallic state, sulphuric acid was formed, and a mixture of alka- 
line sulphate and sulphuretted metal was obtained. This which 
Vauquelin was able to put forward only conjecturally, and could 
not demonstrate by convincing proofs, was immediately proved 
most satisfactorily by Berzelius through his successful reduction 
of sulphate of potash by means of hydrogen or the vapor of the 
sulphuret of carbon. He thus obtained sulphuret of potassium 
in which there could not be any oxygen. By treating anhydrous 
lime with sulphuretted hydrogen at a high temperature, Berzelius 
likewise obtained water and sulphuret of calcium. This experi- 
ment rendered it obvious that when liver of sulphur is obtained 
by melting together sulphur and carbonate of potash, the solution 
in water contains sulphuric acid, which is not, as Berthollet con- 
jectured, first formed by the decomposition of water, but isa joint 
product with the liver of sulphur of the reduction of the alkali. 
Berzelius found, moreover, that the alkaline metals co pearls in 
several definite proportions with sulphur forming substances 
which are all soluble in water. hus arose the question: What 
is contained in such a solution ?—a question, the answer to which 
is especially important when regarded in connection with the 
solutions of metallic chlorids. Is this liquid a solution of the un- 
altered sulphuret in water, or is the alkaline metal oxydized, 
and, consequently, a compound of sulphuretted hydrogen with 
alkali formed, or a compound of sulphuretted hydrogen, sulphur, 
and alkali ? ‘Since, in the last case, it would be necessary to as- 
sume as many compounds of sulphur with hydrogen as there are 
compounds of sulphur with the alkaline metals, Berzelius de- 
water really does take place in this case, and that a compound of 
metallic beats with eibuceics! hydrogen and alkaline oxyd 
is formed. 
Hieiseline regarded these investigations as i pre sulphur 
_ compounds exist which are very analogous to the muriates, and 
t there might likewise be bodies a, think coatssaid 
an acid and an oxygenous base, possess, like the chlor ids, all the 
peculiar characters of salts ; and, consequently, if this were so, all 
that evidence against the new theo ory of chlorine failed, which he 
derived from ” aoe analogy of muriates with salts con- 
etion of an ox cid and an oxygenous base. 
Vith this ic catianted on alkaline sulphurets was connected 
Po enaiy important one upon the sulphur salts, which, however, 
appear until several years afterwards. 
