ACTION OF PHOSPHORUS ON ALKALIS. 005 



VI. 



Of the Action of Phosphorus and oxigenlzcd muriatic acid 

 Gas on Alkalis; by Messrs. Bouillon-Lagrange and 



VOGEL*. 



yOME years ago we perceived, that, after having obtained Phenomena of 



, r. ' , ' , 111 n phosphorus 



a pretty large quantity ot phospnuretted hidrogen gas from heated with 



healing a mixture of phosphorus wit!) pare caustic potash potash observ- 

 dissolved in water, a blackish substance remained; and to- 

 ward the end of the process another gas was evolved, which 

 no longer inflamed on contact with the air. 



This circumstance not appearing of sufficient importance Occurred again 

 for us to pursue it, we had thought no more of the memo- y * 

 randum made of it, and should probably have neglected it 

 still, had not the same phenomena occurred again lately, 

 as we were lecturing on phosphorus. Struck at the same 

 time with the discovery of Mr. Duvy respecting the nature 

 of alkalis, we could no longer look with indifference on the 

 facts we perceived anew. 



We do not mean to discuss before the Society the decom- Soda decom- 

 position of potash by the processes, that Messrs. Thenard, ^ Charcoal. 

 Gay-Lussac, and Curaudeau have employed. We shall 

 only observe, that we have repeated in presence of the pu- 

 pils, who attend our chemical lectures, the experiment of 

 the decomposition of soda by charcoal in a gun barrel, as 

 we had seen it performed by Mr. Curaudauf? and suc- 

 ceeded completely. The experiments we are about to sub- Experiments 

 mit to the Society were made with phosphorus s>n potash JUJ^SjSS] 

 and soda. At present we shall conteut ourselves with ex- 

 hibiting the facts as we observed them, carefully abstaining 

 from all conjectural theory, persuaded, that, to attempt, 

 explanations not grounded on incontestable facts, or requir- 

 ing interpretation, must give rise to errours, which, instead 

 ot advancing science, only tend to render our notions un- 

 certain. 



* Annalesde Chimie, May 1808, vol . LXVI, p. 194, 

 f See p. 07 of our present volume. 



To 



