PHOSTITORITS (symb. P., equiv. 31•, sp. gr. 1.826) is one of the metalloids, or non metallic elements, although, in its combining relation, it is more closely connected with the metals arsenic and antimony than with any of the members of the sulphur-group, in which it is commonly placed.
Phosphorus at ordinary temperatures is an almost colorless or faintly yellow solid substance, having the glistening appearance and the consistence of wax, and evolving a disagreeable alliaceous odor, which, however, is probably due to the action of the oxygen. of the air upon it. It fuses at 111.5' into a colorless fluid; and if the air be excluded, it boils at and is converted into a colorless vapor of sp.gr.1.826. If, however, it be heated to about 140' in the air, it catches fire, burns with a brilliant white flame, and is converted into phosphoric acid; and, indeed, it is so inflammable that it will catch fire at ordinary temperatures by mere friction. As the burns which it occasions are often severe and dangerous, great caution is required in handling it; and in consequence of the readiness with which it catches fire, and of its tendency to oxidize when expOsed to the air at a temperature higher than 32', it is always kept in water, in which it is insolu ble. It is slightly soluble in ether, but dissolves freely in benzol, in the fixed and essen tial oils, and in bisulphide of carbon; and by allowing its solution in one of theSe fluids to fall upon filtering paper, the finely divided phosphorus absorbs oxygen so rapidly as spontaneously to catch fire as soon as the solvent has evaporated. One of the most characteristic properties of phosphorus is that it shines in the dark, probably from the slow combustion which it undergoes; and hence its name from the-Greek words phOs, -light, and pl 'Oros, bearing. Its power of forming ozone is noticed in the article on that substance. Taken internally, phosphorus is a very powerful irritant poison; and it is the active ingredient of some of the preparations employed for the destruction of vermin. Its fumes give rise to a peculiar form of necrosis of the jaw, which is very common amongst the makers of lucifer-matches, and is not followed, as in ordinary necrosis, by formation of new bone.
Bed phosphorus differs from the ordinary variety in several important points. It seems as a deep red amorphous powder, which is perfectly devoid of odor, may be heated to nearly 500° without fusing, has a specific gravity of 2.10, does not shine in the lark, nor take the when rubbed, undergoes, no change on exposure to the air at ordinary' temperature's, and is all respects far less inflammable. Moreover, it is insoluble In bisail plmie of carbon and the other fluids in which ordinary phosphorus dissolves, and is not poisonous. .0n this account. Schrotter (to whom we are mainly indebted for our knowledge of this modification of phosphorus) has attempted, although with imperfect success, i apply it to the formation of lucifer-matches. When red phosphorus is heated in an atmosphere of carbonic acid to a temperature of 500°, it is converted, without loss of weight, into ordinary phosphorus.
Phosphorus is never met with in nature in an uncombined state, but it occurs in small proportion as phosphate of lime in the primitive and volcanic rocks (as was first shown by Powncs in 1641), by the gradual decay of which it passes into the soil; it is also found abundantly in the minerals known as apatite and phosphorite, and in.the brown rounded pebbles which abound in the Norfolk Crag, and which, under the name of enproNot, are much employed, when crushed, for manure. From the soil, it is extracted by plants, which accumulate it (especially in the seeds of the cereals) in quantity suf ficient for the wants of the animals which they supply with food. In the ammal system, hosphate of lime forms 57 per cent of the hones; phosphates of the alkalies especially of soda, occur freely in the animal fluids; and in fibrilla, albumen, and nervous matter, phosphorus is universally present, although we do not clearly know in what form of combination it occurs.