62 



two volumes of vapour. It has, therefore, the same density 

 as camphor, and Hke it may be considered as consisting of 



1 volume of vapour of oil of turpentine, = 4,7643 

 J volume of vapour of oxygen, n 0,5513 



1 volume of vapour of dumasine, :r: 5,3156 



Professor Kane read some passages of a letter from 

 M. Dumas, of which the following is an extract: 



" * * * * The researches, of which you have given me 

 an account,* promise the happiest results for science, I 

 cannot too much encourage you to complete them ; you will 

 see by the journals that 1 have communicated your letter to 

 the Academy of Sciences, where it met with the most honour- 

 able reception. Allow me to add, that M. Peligot and my- 

 self had obtained the carbo-hydrogen, Cg h^, as well by sul- 

 phuric acid as by anhydrous phosphoric acid. We had 

 found, that potassium gave the product CgH^o, which you 

 have obtained in another manner, but we were stopped by 

 the composition of the sulpho-mesitylate of baryta, of which 

 you have given the explanation. These researches have 

 been made some time, but other matters caused us to neglect 

 them, and I do not now regret it, since they are in such 

 good hands. * * * * " 



(( * * * * I announced yesterday to the Academy the 

 existence of the carbo-mnate of potash ^ which is 



KO COg -f C4 H5 o -f CO2. 



I also obtained, conjointly with M. Peligot, the carbo-methy- 

 late of baryta, which is 



Ba. o cOj 4- Cg H3 o + co^ 

 In these bodies the acid changes very readily into carbonic 



* On pyroacetic spirit. See Proceedings, pp. 42 and 58. 



