24 



SULPHUR. — CHLORINE* 



is mostly procured as an article of commerce. But 

 it is also disseminated among many other rocks. 

 Combined with iron, it forms a beautiful mineral, 

 called iron pyrites, of a yellow colour, often mis- 

 taken by the ignorant for gold. Most of the lead 

 ore is also combined with sulphur, forming a sul- 

 phuret. The same is also true of zinc and copper. 

 Gypsum, or plaster of Paris, is lime combined with 

 sulphuric acid, and is therefore called sulphate of lime. 



In Sicily and some other parts of the world, sul- 

 phur is found in masses or layers, between clay and 

 marl formations. In such cases it is usually accom- 

 panied by gypsum, rock-salt, or peat. Sicily is well 

 known to be the sulphur-market of the world. It 

 is obtained by putting the clayey marl containing it 

 in stoves or ovens, with an inclined bottom which 

 terminates in a canal ; the sulphur, as it melts, thus 

 flows into vessels prepared to receive it. 



Many springs contain sulphur, dissolved and com- 

 bined with hydrogen gas, which, on escaping, a 

 precipitate of sulphur ensues. Such springs exist at 

 Avon in this state, and at Fauquier, and many places 

 in Green Brier county and other parts of Virginia, 

 near St. Louis, in Missouri, &c. We generally find 

 sediments and deposites of sulphur in the vicinity or 

 on the borders of such springs. Such waters are 

 very efficacious in the cure of cutaneous and other 

 chronic affections. 



Sulphur is disseminated throughout the acean, as 

 it forms a constant ingredient in sulphate of soda, 

 which is a constant ingredient of salt water. 



Chlorine derives its chief importance from the 

 fact that, in combination with hydrogen, it forms 

 muriatic acid, which, united with soda, forms the 

 muriate of soda, or common sea or table salt. This 

 forms about 2.5 per cent, of sea- water. Of course 

 rock salt contains an immense quantity of chlorine 



spectacle is presented ; the floor, which burns with a blue flame, 

 consists of sulphur mixed with earthy matter." 



