26 
ACTION  OF  SULPHUR  ON  AMMONIA. 
is  found  in  water  containing  milk  of  sulphur  in  suspension, 
through  which  washed  sulphurous  acid  is  passed  for  some  time. 
This  proves  the  possibility  of  the  formation  of  this  acid  by  the 
simple  addition  of  S  to  S02,  and  under  conditions  which  are 
found  still  more  favorable  in  the  solfataras,  lava,  &c,  of  vol- 
canic regions. 
It  remained  now  to  be  shown  whether  the  hyposulphurous 
acid  of  the  solution  of  sulphur  in  ammonia  is  formed  by  this  re- 
action, or  is  merely  dissolved  out  of  the  sulphur.  But  pure 
crystallized  sulphur  forms,  under  these  circumstances5  traces  of 
hyposulphurous  acid,  more  if  the  solution  was  effected  in  sealed 
tubes.  Water  of  ammonia  of  »885  sp.  gr.,  heated  to  90  or  100° 
C.  in  nearly  filled  glass  tubes,  with  about  one-third  its  weight  of 
sulphur,  soon  turns  deep  brown-yellow,  the  sulphur  disappears 
slowly,  and  saturation  is  attained  if  the  liquid  separates  in  the 
cold  some  octohedrons  of  sulphur.  A  brownish-red  liquid,  very 
dark  at  a  higher  temperature,  is  the  result,  which,  like  bisul- 
phuret  of  chlorine  (S2C1),  extinguishes  all  the  colors  of  the  solar 
spectrum  except  red  and  orange,  and  separates  slowly  a  little 
very  fine  carbonaceous  matter.  The  solution  smells  chiefly  of 
ammonia,  and  does  not  fume  in  contact  with  the  air. 
On  opening  the  tube,  a  slight  diminution  of  the  tension  is 
observed,  and  after  pouring  it  out,  the  liquid  almost  solidifies 
from  crystallizing  sulphur.  By  the  addition  of  water,  or  from 
a  more  diluted  water  of  ammonia,  a  milky  separation  of  sulphur 
takes  place ;  but  the  liquid  retains  a  brown-yellow  color,  and 
the  separated  sulphur  is  soluble  in  bisulphuret  of  carbon.  If  the 
concentrated  solution  is  mixed  with  absolute  alcohol,  crystalline 
laminae  are  separated  in  a  short  time,  and  the  decanted  liquor 
separates  into  a  colorless  supernatant  and  a  lower  red-yellow 
layer,  which  gradually  deposits  long  needles,  consisting  of  pure 
sulphur  in  a  colorless  state,  and  assuming  the  usual  color  by 
the  application  of  heat.  The  mother-liquor  from  these  crystals 
retains  its  red-yellow  color  much  longer  than  the  pure  aqueous 
solution.  The  original  solution,  mixed  with  much  alcohol  and 
slightly  heated  in  a  retort,  evolves  hydrosulphate  of  ammonia, 
(most  likely  NH3,  2HS,)  which  sometimes  crystallizes  in  the 
neck  in  long  colorless  needles  of  little  stability. 
The  solution  obtained  in  a  sealed  tube,  as  stated  above, 
