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compound in queftion. Phofphorized fu'phurmelts at a much lower temperature than phof-phorus itfelf, fo that a heat much lefs thanthat of boiling water will be fufficient, and onaccount of the extreme rifle of explofion whenthe heat is too great, no more than is abfolutelyneceflary fhould be ufed. The fufibility of thecompound increafes with the proportion offulphur. Thus Pelletier found that phofphorusalone, liquified by heat and allowed to cool,folidified at a temperature of from 90° to 1 oo°.But all the mixtures of phofphorus and fulphurremained fluid at a much lower temperature.The particular experiments are as follows:Phofphorus Sulphur

72 with 9 congeal at 77* Therm.

7? - - 18 - - - 59

72 - - q6 - - - 50

72 - - 72 - - - 41

72 - - 144 ' - - - 55

but when the quantity of fulphur exceeds thatof the phofphorus the combination appearslefs perfedi.

If equal parts of the two ingredients bemelted under water at a heat not exceeding180 0 , only a certain portion of the fulphurunites with the phofphorus, and the remaindermay be walhed away with cold water. Thiscompound is yellow and friable, melts by theheat of the hand, and takes fire at about 112 0 .Two parts of phofphorus and one of fulphurare very cqnvenient proportions for making thiscompound. They are to be put into a flalk withwater, and melted in a heat confiderably fhortof boiling, and kept for a fhort time till theunion is compleat. The veflel fhould on noaccount he lhaken whilft the materials are fluid,for Mr. Accum relates a meft dangerous explo-fion which took place in confequence. Neitherfhould the water be allowed to boil in whichthe phofphorized fulphur is contained, for aftera fhort time the mixture has been known toexplode with prodigious violence, and with alarge volume of flame. Yet, on the otherhand, Mr. Accum, in another inftance, kept aquantity ,of this mixture under a pretty longcolumn of boiling water for a confiderable timewithout accident; fo that till we are betteracquainted with the prccife circumftances thatproduce explofion of this dangerous compound,uc an event fliould always be expedited andguarded againfl, when the mixture is heated in? ’ *2, within a few degrees of the boiling

P vi a-,, iubftance alfo fliould be handledwith itill more caution than phofphorus, for it

takes fire with a moderate heat, and even in

the temperature of the air when flight frictionis ufed.

Phofphorus and fulphur may alfo be fafelycombined in a clofe veflel without water. l‘orthis purpole, take a glafs tube hermetically fealedat one end, put into it the phofphorus and ful-phur, both perfedtly dry, cork it very tight,and plunge the tube into hot water, which isto be gradually brought to boiling. The fulphurand phofphorus will unite without explofion,and when removed from the water, but ftillfluid, the tube may be lhaken to compleat theunion, care being taken to keep it well corkedall the time.

Phofphuretted fulphur has the property ofdecompofing w r ater without the aififiance ofalkalies or any other fubftance, a property notpoflefied by phofphorus or fulphur fingly. Thegas thus generated is a mixmre of phofphorus,fulphur, and hydrogen, has the peculiar fmellof both fulphuretted and phofphuretted hydro-gen, and is luminous in the air, and if recentlyprepared, takes fire fpontaneoufly, and burnswith a greenilh flame and a white ring offmoke. This compound gas was procured byMr. Accum, (though not without rilk of explo-fion) by putting two drams of phofphorus withtwo of fulphur into a Wedgwood-ware tube,clofed at one end, and furnifhed at the otherwith a perforated cork, and bent glafs tubefitting it, which was dipped under a jar of water.Four ounces of water were added to the mix-ture, and gradually brought to boil, duringwhich nearly two quarts of the gas were pro-cured, and without explofion. This gas wasfoluble in about four times its bulk of waterby agitation. On throwing up common air tothe gas, an inftantaneous inflammation enfued,the veflel became filled with white fumes, andwas foon lined with a white cruft, whichattracted moifture rapidly, and conlifted offulphur, fulphuric, and phofphoric acid. Aconfiderable detonation is produced when thisgas is mixed with the oxymuriatic acid gas.

The decompofition of phofphuretted fulphurby water, takes place, though flowly, at a heatfcarcely higher than that of the atmofphere.

This compound (compofed of three parts ofphofphorus and one of fulphur) rapidly abforbsoxygen from the air, -fo that it may be em- ‘ployed with advantage as an eudiometer.

Tt is very rapidly oxygenated by nitric acid,even without heat, and converted into fulphuricand phofphoric acids.

Phofphorized fulphur is foluble in the fixedoils. If a little of it be rubbed in a mortar with