4i COMPOUND OF SULl'HUR AMD PIIOSPHOKUS, 



Oxigenizcd nuiriatic acid gas aclcd more violently than 

 oxigen gas, when mingled with this gafeous compound over 

 meicury; the refult was a confiderable detonation, accom- 

 panied with vivid green light and denfe white vapours. 

 The 5as v^ras From the refults of thefe experiments it becomes obvious, 



therefore a com- ^],at_ {[jg g^v, under examination was a compound of hydrogen, 

 g!n" f°] hJ,.^'°' fulphur, and phofphoriis. And if we reafon from the nature 

 and pho/phorusjof the production of this gas, it is evident, that, during the 

 action of the phofphorus and fuiphur upon water, the latter 

 formed by the fluid is decompofed, though neither fuiphur nor phofphorus 



wa?eTthough°''^'"g'y *''''''^"' ^''^ ^^'""^ ^^''' decompofition ; this therefore is 

 that fluid is not fufficient to account for the unexpected explufion before 

 affeftedby eithern jj^j 



Fhofp buret of lu Order to fee whether phofphuret of fuiphur were capable 

 fuiphur can de- ,)f clecompofing water in common temperatures, two ounces 



compote water ,. . , . .,.,.,, „ , 



at the common '■'^ ^^ were covered in a vial with eight ounces of water, and 

 tcnjperature. put afide for further examination. The vial having been left 

 unobferved, locked up in a clofet, for fome weeks ; the corks 

 was found to have been thrown out of the vial, and the whole 

 infideof the clofet, which had been painted with white lead, 

 was completely blackened ; the parts nearefl to the orifice of the 

 vial had a metallic afpe6t. The fluid which was decanted 

 from the phofphuret of fuiphur had a milky appearance, its 

 odour was like that of water Itrongly impregnated with, ful- 

 phurated hidrogen ; its talle was uncommonly naufeous. It 

 had a ftrong a6lion on the greater number of metallic oxides. 



On mingling it with concentrated nitrous acid, a confidera- 

 ble precipitate enfued, which after being dried on expoture to 

 air, was luminous in the dark and became converted into 

 fuiphur. Another quantity of the water which was fuffered 

 to evaporate, fponlaneoufly depofiied cryfials of a lemon 

 yellow colour, but of an indeterminate figure. There re- 

 mained, therefore, no doubt but that phofphuret of fuiphur is 

 capable of decompofing water at ufual temperatures. 

 As phofphuret Phofphuret of fuiphur, compofed of three parts of phofphorus 

 compd'es^Iirwith ^"^ °"^ ^^ fulphur, has alfo the property of decompofing at- 

 greater rapidity mofpheric air with great rapidity. It may, therefore, be 

 thananyother^ ^^^^^j^^gj "^^""^ advantageoufly for eudiometrical procefTes 

 be a good eudio- than either phofphorus, or the fulphurets of earths, alkalies, 

 metrical agent. ^^ metals. If into a dry glafs tube clofed at the top, and 



graduated 



