68 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



ash, 36 parts yield 100 of ammonia, and yet it contains no ammo- 

 nia j by the same treatment 100 parts give 82 of oxalic acid, and it 

 contains no oxalic acid. These curious properties connect oxamide, 

 on one hand, with the well known formation of ammonia by treating 

 animal matter with potash ; and on the other, with the production of 

 oxalic acid by treating vegetable matter with potash, as shown by 

 MM. Gay-Lussac and Vauquelin. 



When oxalate of ammonia is subjected to distillation, it suffers a 

 kind of decomposition which M. Dumas had never before observed 

 in any organic substance. It first loses water, its crystals become 

 opaque, it then fuses and boils, but in those portions only which more 

 immediately receive the impression of the fire ; when the operation 

 is over, slight traces of a light carbonaceous product remain j the rest 

 being volatilized. 



The receiver contains water strongly impregnated with carbonate 

 of ammonia, and a flocculent matter of a dirty white colour is sus- 

 pended in it. The neck of the retort usually contains crystals of car- 

 bonate of ammonia, and a thick deposit similar to the flocculent 

 matter already noticed, both of which are oxamide j this is separated 

 from the carbonate of ammonia by washing on a filter with cold water, 

 in which it is nearly insoluble. 



Various gaseous bodies are given out during the distillation, the 

 products being ammonia, water, carbonate of ammonia, carbonic 

 acid gas, oxide of carbon, cyanogen and oxamide j the latter amounts 

 to only about 1 -20th of the oxalate of ammonia decomposed. 



Oxamide is obtained in the form of confusedly crystallized plates, 

 or in that of a granular powder, which has occasionally traces of 

 yellowish or brown spots, produced by a substance analogous to 

 azulmic acid. When triturated and well washed it is of a dirty 

 white colour, resembling that of uric acid, is inodorous and insipid, 

 and does not act upon coloured papers. 



Oxamide is volatile, and when moderately heated the vapour con- 

 denses and crystallizes confusedly ; but when strongly heated part 

 only sublimes," and the rest is decomposed, giving cyanogen. Boiling 

 water dissolves a small portion, which crystallizes as the solution 

 cools. Oxamide is composed of 



By Experiment. By Theory. 



Carbon 26'9f> - - 4 volumes or 27'08 

 Azote 31-67 - - 2 do. 32-02 



Oxygen 3G79 - - 2 do. 36-36 



Hydrogen 4'59 - - 4 do. 4\54 



100-00 100-00 



Oxamide may therefore be considered either as a compound of 

 cyanogen and water nitric oxide and bicarburetted hydrogen 

 or oxide of carbon and an azoturet of hydrogen, different from ammo- 

 nia : but in whatever light it may be regarded, it is converted into 

 dry oxalate of ammonia by the addition of two volumes of the vapour 

 of water j and when it is treated with potash it is converted into 



oxala 



