OBSERVATIONS ON ANTIMONY, 
307 
from the influence of the reagents. The quantity of arsenic 
which may be thus hidden in the antimony, without its exist- 
ence being suspected or discovered, except by the means 
which I shall point out, isconsiderable. Antimony which I had 
alloyed with of arsenic acted like the antimony of com- 
merce, notwithstanding which the product from the action of 
nitric acid, when thrown upon burning coals, gave out a strong 
alliaceous odor. 
Antimony may combine with hydrogen, but I have never 
been able to produce this compound except mixed with consi- 
derable free hydrogen gas. 
Antimoniuretted hydrogen has no odor, in which it differs 
from arseniuretted hydrogen; it is besides remarkable for the 
facility with which it is decomposed; under an elevation of 
temperature it is separated into its simple elements and this 
much before the temperature is carried to a red heat. 
Arsenic, especially when it finds nascent hydrogen, unites 
with it, and produces arseniuretted hydrogen. It is not the 
same with antimony: an alloy of potassium and antimony, 
thrown upon water, yields perfectly pure hydrogen ; but should 
the alloy contain even traces of arsenic, the gas will have the 
characteristic odor of arseniuretted hydrogen, and will deposit 
a black coating when burnt in a narrow tube. 
That antimoniuretted hydrogen should be produced, it is 
necessary to place in water, strongly acidulated with sulphuric 
acid, an alloy of antimony and zinc. The disengaged gas 
contains antimoniuretted hydrogen, together with much free 
hydrogen. An alloy of two parts of zinc and one part of an- 
timony is that which furnishes a product the least mixed with 
free hydrogen, especially if a quantity of oxide of antimony 
be added to the liquid. When an alloy of one part of zinc 
and one of antimony is used, the action is very slow, and the 
gas disengaged is hydrogen nearly pure. 
The combinations of antimony and oxygen have not the ab- 
solute insolubility in oxygen which is usually attributed to 
them. I have ascertained that oxide of antimony, antimonious 
