14(S ON SULPHUR AND PHOSPHORUS. 



deoxigenated, as far as is compatible with their existence in 

 contact with water. 

 Sulphuretsand With the view of examinini^ the nature of the substances, 

 Tioussiuin separated by the action of muriatic acid upon the sul|)hurets 



treated with a^fj phosphurets of potassium, I combined a few grains of 

 sulphur and phosphorus with one fourth of their weight of 

 potassium, and exposed the compounds to the action of a 

 strong solution of muriatic acid. As in the former cases, 

 less inflammable gas was produced than would have been af- 

 forded by equal quantities of the uncombined potassium, and 

 considerable quantities of solid matter separated from both 

 compounds, which after being washed, were collected in a 

 filter. 

 Residuum of The substance which separated from the sulphuret,Avas of 

 the sulphuret, g^ (3ark gray colour*, and was harsh to the touch ; it had no 

 taste, and at common temperatures no smell; but when 

 heated, it emitted the peculiar odour of sulphur. Its speci- 

 fic gravity was rather less than that of sulphur. It softened 

 at a low heat, so as to be moulded like wax between the fin- 

 gers. It was a nonconductor of electricity. When heated 

 upon a surface of glass, it soon fussd, entered into ebulli- 

 tion, took fire, and burnt with the same light blue flame as 

 sulphur. A small particle of it, made to combine with silver^, 

 presented the same phenomena as sulphur, 

 awd of xhe The substance from the puosphurct was of an amber co- 



p obp ,urt't. ]Q^y^ and opaque. It could not be examined in the air, in 

 the form in which it was collected (that of a loose powder), 

 for as soon as it was wiped dry, it took fire, and burnt in the 

 same manner as phospliorus; when nnelted under naphtha, 

 it was found to differ from phosphorus, in being much 

 deeper coloured, perfectly opaque, and very brittle. Its fu- 

 sibility was nearly the same, and, like common phosphorus, 

 it was perfectly nonconducting. 

 The sulphiuet In experiments upon thetinion of potassium with sulphur 

 and phosphu- ^^^^^^ phosphorus the beat is so intense, that when lar^-er 

 ret cannot be , <• • , ■'' 



made ill large quantities than a few grains are used, the glass tubes tire 

 quantities. uniformly fused or broken in pieces, and in consequence I 



* Possibly this colour may have been produced by the decompositiou 

 of a film of soup of naphtha adhering to the poussiurn. 



havt- 



