126 COMBINATIONS OF OXIMURIATIC ACID AND METAtI, 



collected on a filter 3 tke hydrosulphuretted solution was 

 decomposed by muriatic acid, the slight precipitate of hydro- 

 sulphuret produced was added to the first portion, and the 

 whole was well washed, dried, and heated to redntss in a 

 glass tube ; the sulphuret of bismuth thus obtained, fused into 

 one mass, weighed -44*7 grains. I had previously ascertained 

 the proportion of metal in this sulphuret, and found it to be 

 81-8 per cent. 447 grains of sulphuret, or 55 grains of the 

 butter, must therefore contain 36*5 grains of bismuth 3 and 

 hence, 100 of bismuth appear to consist of 



33*6 chlorine 



66*4 bismuth 



1000 

 The butter of bismuth may be called bismuthane. 

 Singularities Among the preceding combinations of the metals and chlo- 

 Dounds^^wUh* *^'"®' there is a surprising difference in respect to volatility 

 regard to yo- and fusibility. Iron and manganese, two difficultly fusible 

 Utility and u- jjjetals, form with chlorine readily fusible compounds, and a 

 combination of th« former metal and chlorine is even volatile ; 

 the compounds of tin and chlorine, and of chlorine and anti- 

 mony, are very volatile substances, though the metals them- 

 selves are fixed at very high temperatures ; on the contrary, 

 the combinations of chlorine with bismuth, zinc, and lead, do 

 ' not exceed in fusibility ; indeed are not quite so fusible as the 

 metals themselves. I can offer no explanation of these pheno- 

 mena. 

 Singularity of Another singularity attending the liquid fuming compounds 

 the fuming of chlorine, such as the liquor of Libavius, the fuming liquor 

 compoun s. ^^ arsenic, and the oxymuriates of sulphur and phosphorus, is, 

 that they do not become solid at low temperatures. I have 

 reduced^ by means of a mixture of snow and muriate of lime, 

 the temperature of all these substances 20 degrees below the 

 zero of Fahrenheit's thermometer, but without affecting their 

 liquidity. 

 Influence of at- The influence of atmospheric air on the compounds of the 

 mospheric air metals and chlorine at high temperatures is curious, and wor- 

 ratuKs, thy of particular attention. The combinations of chlorine with 



lead, zinc, copper, and bismuth, appear to be volatile in open 

 vessels, and fixed in closed ones. How moist air operates in 



these 



