COMPOUND OF SULPHUR AND PHOSPHORUS. § 



graduated, into eqiii'diilant parts, a quantity of phofphuret of 



iulphur, freed from adhering water, be poured, and agitated 



in the tube, fo as to line a confiderable part of it within, a 



vart quantity of white vapour is produced the moment the tube 



is immerfed in water; fo as to exclude the air. The vapours 



will be ahforbed by the water, and when no further clouds 



appear, the procefs is at an end. The refiduary gas will 



then be found to be the quantity of nitrogen gas, which was 



contained in the air experimented upon in the tube. This 



procefs is far more expeditious than the flow combuftion of 



phofphorus. I nuift, neverthelefs, remark, that phofphuret This phofphuret 



of fulphur like all other fubjiances hitherto employed for JjJ^^^f^'p^^'^^J^^ 



eudiometry, cannot be abfolutely depended upon for af- tion of changing 



certaining the abfolute quantity of osigen, contained in a^ ^ "^^ °"^* 



given portion of atmofpheric air. For as foon as the abforp- 



tion of oxigen is compleated, the remaining nitrogen exercifes 



an aftion upon the phofphorus, by means of which its bulk 



becomes increafed. From a number of experiments made with 



that view with this eudioraetrical fubftance, I am led to The change is 



believe that the volume of nitrogen gas, never increafes fo ''"j'^H and may be 



° '^ allowed for. 



much as to y part ; confequently the bulk of the refiduum, 



diminiflied by -j^ gives us the bulk of the nitrogen gas of the 



air examined ; which bulk fubtracled from the original mafs 



of air, indicates the proportion of oxigen gas contained in it. 



Phofphuret of fulphur of the above compofition alfo de- This phofphuret 



compofes nitrous acid with uncommon rapidity at common ff°™P°'^^.^j 



/-/-»! nitrous acid very 



temperatures. If one part of phofphuret of fulphur be in- rapidly. 



troduced in the cold into four or fix of concentrated nitrous 



acid, a violent adion takes place, the acid is decompofed, 



and both the phofphorus and fulphur are oxigenized, at the 



expenfe of the oxigen of the nitric acid. A clear folution is 



obtained, from which phofphoric and fulphuric acid may be 



feparaled in the ufual manner. 



Phofphuret of fulphur is foluble in exprefTed or fat oils. If Phofphuret of 



one part of this compound, freed from adhering moifiure as j|^ ^^^"^515^** 



much as pofiible, be triturated in a Wedgwood's mortar, with 



fix parts of oil of almonds or olives, a liquid phofphorus is 



obtained, which is far fuperior to that produced in the ufuaj 



manner from mere phofphorus. This liquid phofphorus fhines 



and gives a very fine liquid phofphorus, with a beautiful yellow 



Jight. It may be rubbed over the face, hands, &c. without 



injury. 



