THE CULTIVATOR. 
159 
bases of potash, soda, and some of the earths,) and the sim¬ 
ple combustibles, carbon, phosphorus, sulphur, hydrogen,* 
boron, and fluorine. 
Is it well ascertained that these are all simple substances 1 
It is extremely probable that some of these bodies may be 
compound, but as no mode has yet been discovered of de¬ 
compounding any of them, it will be more conducive to sci¬ 
ence, to consider them, for the present, as simple undecom- 
posabie bodies. 
Having already examined the nature of all these substances, 
except the combustibles, we shall now enter upon the considera¬ 
tion of that class of bodies. — Endeavor, therefore, to enume¬ 
rate the simple combustibles. 
Besides the metals there are six simple combustibles, viz: 
hydrogen, sulphur, phosphorus, carbon, boron, and fluorine. 
Why are these substances called simple combustibles ? 
They are called simple because we have no proof that they 
are compounded: whereas oil, spirit of wine, wax, tallow, 
and other combustible bodies, are well known to consist of 
two ingredients at the least. 
It will be necessary to examine each of these substances sepa¬ 
rately: — therefore, what is the nature of hydrogen, f 
Hydrogen is the basis of what has been generally called 
inflammable air,] and is one of the component parts, of wa¬ 
ter,§ but it cannot be exhibited in a separate state. We 
therefore know it only in combination with other substan¬ 
ces, || or in the gaseous form, that is, with caloric. 
In what other compounds is hydrogen an ingredient ? 
Hydrogen gas may be combined with water, sulphur, phos¬ 
phorus, or with carbon. 
What is the nature of the compound of hydrogen and wa¬ 
ter ? 
Water may be made, by pressure, to absorb a considerable 
portion of hydrogen gas. It is called hydrogenated water, 
and is said to be useful in medicine. 
What is the nature of the compound of hydrogen and sul¬ 
phur ? 
Sulphur dissolved in this gas forms sulphuretted hydrogen 
gas, which is a very fetid elastic fluid, somewhat heavier 
than atmospheric air and soluble in water. 
What are the properties of sulphuretted hydrogen gas ? 
Sulphuretted hydrogen gas** is transparent and colour¬ 
less; it has the property of inflammability, is nauseous to the 
taste as well as fetid to the smell; it possesses all the cha¬ 
racters of an acid: it combines with earths, alkalies, and 
with several of the metallic oxides; and forms with them 
those substances called hydrosulphurets. 
sesses the singular property of being convertible into a vio 
let vapor by heat. 
* If we omit the earths and alkalies (and there is abun¬ 
dant evidence that these are compound bodies,) most of the 
simple substances are combustible, or bear some relation to 
combustion. Light and caloric are evolved during combus¬ 
tion; oxygen is the principal agent of combustion: and hy¬ 
drogen, sulphur, phosphorus, carbon, and the metals, are the 
subjects, or the true instruments of this process. 
f Mr. Cavendish was the first person who examined hydro¬ 
gen gas and pointed out its nature. This was in the year 
1766. Dr. Black then suggested the propriety of applying it 
to the inflation of air balloons; and Mr. Cavallo was the first 
who put it in practice. This gas is about thirteen times light¬ 
er than atmospheric air. 
i Like all other combustibles, hydrogen will not burn un¬ 
less in contact with atmospheric air, or some substance that 
contains oxygen. If a portion of atmospheric air be mixed 
with this gas, and fire be applied, it will explode with vio¬ 
lence. It is related of Pilatre de Rosier, that having mixed 
one part of common air with nine parts of hydrogen gas, and 
drawn the mixture into his lungs, it caught fire by accident 
as he respired it, and the whole of the gas exploded in his 
mouth and nearly deprived him of life. The shock was so 
violent, that at first he thought the whole of his teeth had 
been driven out, but fortunately he received no lasting in¬ 
jury. 
§ Hydrogen is the most inflammable substance wc are ac¬ 
quainted with; that is, it combines with more oxygen than 
any other body, and occasions more heat by its combustion. 
It may be remarked that oxygen is mild when in the propor¬ 
tion of 21 per cent in atmospheric air, and highly corrosive 
in the proportion of 74 per cent in nitric acid or even in that 
of 49 per cent in sulphuric acid:—How is it then, that it is 
found in the ratio of 88 per cent in water, and that this com¬ 
pound, compared with the others, should be perfectly mild 
and innocent! Instances of a similar accommodation of the 
elementary substances have been adduced; and though we 
cannot comprehend the nature of their operation, we can per¬ 
ceive that the ultimate end of the Creator is our convenience 
and happiness. See pages 48 and 160. Most oxidized sub¬ 
stances, when taken internally, act perceptibly on the sys¬ 
tem; yet water, the most oxidized of all others, has compa¬ 
ratively little influence, because its oxygen is so forcibly re¬ 
tained and so completely neutralized by the hydrogen. Had 
it been otherwise, what is now the most salubrious beverage 
would have operated as a corrosive poison. 
Oil, tallow, wax, &c. used for producing light, do all ac¬ 
quire their power of burning with flame, from the hydrogen, 
which is a component part of all these substances. 
|| Although hydrogen when in an aerial form is the lightest 
of all known substances, yet when imbibed by living vege¬ 
tables it becomes a solid, so as to form wax, resin, &c. and 
in combination with oxygen it constitutes water, which has 
the property of becoming either solid, fluid, or aeriform. 
<u A mixture of oxygen and hydrogen gases produces the 
most powerful heat yet known. 
** This gas was long known by the name of hepatic gas, 
because the substances from which it w 7 as first obtained were 
called hepars or livers of sulphur. 
When this gas is set on fire in contact with oxygen gas, it 
burns with a pale blue flame without exploding. It will of 
itself extinguish burning bodies, and destroy animals which 
are made to inhale it. 
Sulphuretted hydrogen gas is decomposed by atmospheric 
air. The oxygen of the atmosphere combines with the hy¬ 
drogen and forms water, while the sulphur is precipitated.— 
The sulphur which is found in the neighborhood of mineral 
springs originates from this cause. 
The fetid smell which arises from house-drains is owing, 
in a great measure, to a mixture of this gas with other putrid 
What are the properties of the hydrosulphurets ? 
The hydrosulphurets are generally soluble in water, 
and their solutions precipitate the metallic oxides, from me¬ 
tallic solutions. Exposure to the air, however, decomposes 
these hydrosulphurets when dissolved in water,'" and partial¬ 
ly converts them into hydroguretted sulphurets. 
How many compounds are there of sulphur and hydrogen 
with the alkaline and earthy bases ? 
There are three distinct combinations of sulphur and hy¬ 
drogen with the earths and alkalies, which differ in their pro¬ 
perties in consequence of the difference there is in the pro¬ 
portions in which their constituent parts are combined. 
Can you explain what difference there is in the composition of 
these three distinct classes of substances 1 
The first, which are called sulphurets, are merely com¬ 
pounds of sulphur united with some earthy or alkaline base; 
the second, called hydrosulphurets, are formed by the union 
of some base with sulphuretted hydrogen; and the third call¬ 
ed hydroguretted sulphurets, consist of a base united with su- 
persulphuretted hydrogen. 
What is the nature of supersulphuretted hydi oge i ? 
Supersulphuretted hydrogen is merely sulphuretted 
hydrogen combnied with an additional proportion of sulphur; 
that is to say, one part of hydrogen combines w.th 15 parts 
of sulphur to form sulphuretted hydrogen, and with 30 parts 
of sulphur to constitute supersulphuretted hydrogen. 
What is the nature of the combination of hydrogen and phos¬ 
phorus 1 
Hydrogen gas when combined with phosphorus forms 
phosphureited hydrogen gas. This gas has a fetid putrid 
smell, and takes fire whenever it comes in contact with at¬ 
mospheric air. 
What is the nature of the combination of hydrogen with car¬ 
bon ? 
This elastic substance, which is called carburettedhydrogen 
gas, f is carbon dissolved in hydrogen; it has likewise been 
called heavy inflammable air. It is this gaseous compound 
which has occasioned so many dreadful accidents in coal-pits. 
The miners call it the fire-dmnp.\ 
What is meant by super-carburetted hydrogen ? 
This is a gaseous compound of carbon and hydrogen, con¬ 
taining exactly twice as much carbon as the earburetted hy¬ 
drogen gas. It is extremely inflammable, and emits more 
light during combustion than is given out by the inflamma¬ 
tion of that gas. It has been called olefiant gas. 
What is the origin of sulphur '? 
Sulphur is found in most parts of the world§ combined 
with metals, from which it is procured by roasting; it also 
flows from volcanos; it is sublimed from the sulphurous 
grounds in Italy, and is found in many mineral waters,|| com¬ 
bined with hydrogen. 
What is the nature of sulphur 1 
Sulphur or brimstone as it is sometimes called, is a solid, 
opaque, combustible^ substance, of a pale yellow colour, 
insoluble in water, very brittle, and possessing a peculiar 
taste and smell. Its specific gravity is 1.990, or nearly twice 
as heavy as water, and it is a non-conductor of electricity.— 
It has various uses in medicine and the arts. 
What compounds ** are formed by means of sulphur ? 
effluvia. As the diffusion of this noxious matter within our 
dwellings tends to produce disease and mortality, it cannot 
be too generally known that a cheap and simple apparatus 
has been contrived for carrying off the waste water, &c. of 
sinks, arid which at the same time prevents the possibility of 
any air ever returning back into the house from thence, or 
from any drain which may be connected with it. It is known 
by the name of a stink trap, and may be had of some of the 
ironmongers in London. [Chloride of soda will do this; see 
Cultivator for Sept.] 
* The waters of Harrowgate, Aix la Chapelle, and others 
of a similar nature, owe their medicinal properties to sulphu¬ 
retted hydrogen gas and muriate of soda. Thesafi of bitumen 
of the Hindoos, which is almost the only article of Hindoo 
physic, and is sold in every village, is chiefly composed of 
muriate of soda and sulphuretted hydrogen. It is taken by 
these people for every complaint. The farriers give it to the 
horses, and seem to understand the principle upon which it 
acts; for when they have given a dose to the animal, they 
always give him water to extricate the gas.—Henderson on 
Hindoo Physic. 
f In hot weather this gas is formed at the bottom of stag¬ 
nant waters, and may readily be collected at their surface, by 
suspending a bottle of water over the pool, similar to the de¬ 
canting of gases over a pneumatic trough, and stirring up the 
mud to disengage the carburetted hydrogen. 
This gas generally contains a portion of carbonic acid 
mixed with it. Both these aeriform fluids are produced by 
the decomposition of water by putrid animal and vegetable 
matter. Such decompositions take place chiefly when the 
sun shines upon these waters, caloric being necessary to all 
gaseous compounds. 
| What renders this gas so extremely dangerous in mines 
is the circumstance that whenever the atmosphere of a mine 
becomes charged with more than one-thirteenth of its volume 
of carburetted hydrogen gas, the whole becomes explosive. 
It is, however, now expected that the safety-lamp of Sir 
Humphrey Davy, which is a most important discovery, will 
be a means of lessening the number of these accidents. 
§ Sulphur is procured in large quantities from martial py¬ 
rites and other metallic ores. It is also found in abundance 
in the state of native sulphur, as it is called, near several 
volcanos, in different parts of the world. According to Dr. 
Anderson, there are mines of it in the kingdom of Thibet. 
|| Sulphur has been discovered in cresses, horse-radish, and 
several other vegetables. It is also evolved from animal sub¬ 
stances, during their putrefaction, in combination with hydro¬ 
gen. The change which silver undergoes when immersed 
in an egg, shows the presence of sulphuretted hydrogen. 
If Sulphur during its combustion combines with oxygen, 
and becomes an incombustible substance. Like phosphorus, 
it is eminently combustible, owing to its great affinity for 
oxygen. 
**“ Nature employs sulpher in a great number of her ope¬ 
rations; she presents it under many forms among fossils; 
charges with it the waters denominated sulphurous; mine¬ 
ralizes with it the metals; causes it to pass into vegetable and 
animal fibres and exhibits it to chemists in an infinite num¬ 
ber of combinations.” 
Sulphur is the base of several compounds; it unites with 
oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, phosphorus, the alkalies, the 
metals, and with some of the earths.* 
What are the compounds of sulphur and oxygen l 
If sulphur be kept in fusion in atmospheric air, it absorbs 
a small quantity of oxygen, and forms oxide of sulphur; if 
it be heated sufficiently to take fire, it burns with a pale blue 
flame, and becomes converted to sulphurous acid; but if sul¬ 
phur be burned in pure oxygen, it absorbs the full dose of 
this gas, and sulphuric acid is the product. 
What are the compounds of sulphur and the alkalies ? 
Sulphur will combine with potash, with soda, and with 
ammonia; which compounds possess several curious and in¬ 
teresting properties. 
What are the general characteristics of the alkaline and 
earthy sulphurets ? 
They are hard substances of a brown colour, resembling 
the liver of animals; they absorb water from the atmosphere, 
and then emit a fetid odor, similar to that of putrid eggs.f— 
They have the property of decomposing water, and by that 
process become partially converted to alkaline or earthy sul¬ 
phates. 
What knowledge have we acquired of the combinations of sul¬ 
phur with the earths and metals ? 
Sulphur may be combined artificially with most of the me¬ 
tals, and with some earths; but many of the metallic sulphu¬ 
rets are found native in great abundance. 
* Sulphur is used in large quantities for making gunpow¬ 
der. When exhibited as a medicine, it penetrates to the ex¬ 
tremities of the most minute vessels, and impregnates all the 
secretions; as may be perceived by those who have taken it 
for any length of time. Sulphur has many uses in the arts, 
and has been employed with advantage in stopping the pro¬ 
gress of fermentation in wines and other fermented li¬ 
quors. 
f Sulphuret of potash is formed by the explosion of gun¬ 
powder, and it is this compound which occasions that pecu¬ 
liar smell which a gun usually has after firing. 
Moneys received between the lsi of August and HDth Sept, in 
sums of $5 and over. The total receipts are included from 
post-offices marked with an asterisk.* 
*Alexandria, 
No. Vols. 
D.C. 52 
Lindleystown, 
No. Vols. 
N.Y. 5 
*Akron, 
O. 
7 
*Lexington, 
Va. 
28 
Atwater, 
O. 
7 
*Milton, 
N.Y. 
15 
*Boston, 
Mass. 195 
*Marlborough, 
N.Y. 
9 
*Burlington, 
*Baltimore, 
Vt. 
26 
*New-York mills, 
N.Y. 
20 
Md. 115 
*New-York city, 
310 
*Buffalo, 
N.Y. 
21 
*New-Brunswick, 
N.J. 
32 
*Buskirk’s Bridge, 
N.Y. 
13 
*New-Haven, 
*New-Lisbon, 
Ct. 
35 
*Carrolton, 
Ill. 
10 
O. 
19 
Cordova, 
Ill. 
7 
Norwich, 
Ct. 
6 
Clarksfield, 
O. 
5 
Oxford, 
O. 
5 
Cincinnati, 
O. 
27 
*Oswego, 
N.Y. 
28 
* Chicago, 
Ill. 
10 
*Providence, 
R.I. 
9 
Catfish, 
s.c. 
5 
‘Philadelphia, 
Pa. 
160 
•Catskill, 
N.Y. 
21 
*Poquonock, 
Ct. 
12 
*Columbia, 
S.C. 
21 
*Paterson, 
N.J. 
11 
Elberton, 
Ga. 
5 
*Princeton, 
N.J. 
16 
Fort Madison, 
Io.T. 
11 
Pittsburgh, 
Pa. 
79 
Farmington, 
O. 
7 
‘Poughkeepsie, 
N.Y. 
23 
*Flushing, 
N.Y. 
19 
Pilot Grove, 
Mo. 
10 
*Greeensborough, 
Ga. 
16 
*Quincy, 
111. 
10 
*Geneva, 
N.Y. 
34 
Quebec, 
L.C. 
7 
*Hartford, 
Ky. 
11 
*Richmond, 
Va. 198 
Huntiugton, 
Ia. 
6 
*Rhinebeck, 
Roc.kaway, 
N.Y. 
35 
*Hartford, 
*Jonesborougli, 
*Johnson’s Springs, 
Ct. 
63 
N.J. 
6 
Mo. 
23 
*Savannah, 
Ga. 
56 
Va. 
47 
*Schenectady, 
N.Y. 
24 
*King George C. H. 
Va. 
20 
*St. Louis, 
Mo. 
67 
Lower Marlboro', 
Md. 
5 
*Steubenville, 
O. 
26 
*Lafayette, 
Ia. 
16 
Sing-Sing, 
*Troy, 
N.Y. 
26 
*Lexington, 
Ky. 
29 
N.Y. 
40 
*Liberty, 
Va. 
20 
*Verdiersville, 
Va. 
7 
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