Collier's New Encyclopedia

A complete general encyclopedia of 1921 — the world as it was understood just after the Great War, from Aachen to Zwingli, across twelve volumes and six thousand pages.

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Phosphorus

in Greek mythology, of combination in the unstratified rocks, the morning-star; Phosphor. In chemthe soil, the organism of plants, and the morning-star; Phosphor. In chemthe bodies of animals. Discovered by metallic pentad element; found in a state ( Brandt in 1669. It is prepared from powdered calcined bones by treating them ing the liquid portion, and, after mixing phuric acid diluted with water, evaporatwith charcoal, desiccating by heating in with two-thirds of their weight of sulan iron vessel. The dry mass is then with charcoal, desiccating by heating in ater, evaporatis kept in that liquid, but dissolves in introduced into a stone retort, heated, native naphtha and bisulphide of carbon; and the phosphorus evolved collected unis kept in that liquid, but dissolves in der water. It is insoluble in water, and fire from the heat of the hand. A remarkable modification exists under the markable modification exists under the fire from the heat of the hand. A re- is very inflammable, and sometimes takes by exposing common phosphorus to 250° for 50 hours. It is not luminous in the dark. Used on a very large scale in the for 50 hours. It is not luminous in the preparation of safety matches. It has dark. Used on a very large scale in the preparation been given in small doses in intercostal doses it is dangerous. In larger ones it produces jaundice, vomiting, hemorrhage, and death. phuric acid diluted with water, on of safety matches. It has

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