PART I.

Elements of Pharmacy.

35

COMPOUNDS.

a. Compounds of sulphur.

1. Oxide of Sulphur is formed on the surface of sulphur,which is kept for some time in a state of fusion. It hasa violet colour, and a fibrous texture; is austere to thetaste, tough; and its specific gravity is 2*325. It containsrather less than 7 per cent, of oxygen.

2. Sulphurets of metals are compounds of sulphur and metals,inodorous, insipid, often possessed of metallic brilliancy,and brittle. They are conductors of electricity. Threeof them only are officinal.

Table of Officinal Sulphurets of Metals.

Sulphurets.

Colours of the Sul-phurets.

SpecificGravity.

Sulphurunited to100 metal.

Weight of anatom of thvsulphuret.

Mercury -J

Iron - - X

Antimony

1. Black - - \

2. Red - - j

\1. Yellow - \2. Yellow - j/ Leaden gray

8-16 |

V518

4-83

/ 4-368

816

57-1114-2/ 37-25

27295-5

7-5

3. Sulphurets ofjixed alkalies are opaque, solid bodies, of abrownish red or liver colour; decomposable by caloric,water, and acids ; and which, by exposure to the air, areconverted into hydrogureted sulphurets.

Officinal. Sulphuret of potash, {Part ii.)

4. Sulphurets of earths resemble the alkaline sulphurets intheir properties.

5. Hydrosulphurets are compounds of sulphureted hydrogenwith alkalies and earths. They are soluble in water,crystallizable, and are decomposed by the atmosphere andacids.

b. Compounds of phosphorus.

1. Oxide of Phosphorus, produced by heating phosphorus inhighly rarified air, has the appearance of red flakes, whichtake fire when slightly heated, and burn with a very vividflame: by the further exposure to the air they attractmoisture, and are converted into an acid.

2. Phosphuret of carbon (the substance which remains in theleather through which new-made phosphorus is strained,purified by exposure to heat in a retort,) is a light floc-culent powder, of a bright orange, or rather red colour,insipid, and inodorous. It burns rapidly when heated inthe air, and leaves charcoal behind.

3. Phosphurets of metals are generally brittle, and have ametallic lustre. (Vide Annates de Chemie, torn. i. & xiii.)

d 2