1835.] Improvements in Science. 189 



each of ammeline, nitric acid and oxide of silver. Liebig 

 explains the formation of ammeline and melamine, by con- 

 sidering that from 2 atoms of melam and the elements of 

 2 atoms of water, 1 atom of melamine and 1 atom of amme- 

 line result. 



By boiling melam with hydrochloric acid, ammeline and 

 ammonia are produced by the aid of 2 atoms of water. 

 Cyanate of potash is produced by the action of potash on 

 dry ammeline, the cyanic acid in this case being formed by 

 1 atom of ammeline combining with 2 atoms of water, the 

 resulting product being 3 atoms of acid. 



5. Ammelide results from adding alcohol to a solution of 

 melam or melamine in concentrated sulphuric acid. It 

 precipitates in the form of a thick white precipitate. It 

 may be also obtained by heating nitrate of ammeline till the 

 soft mass becomes solid, or by boiling melamine in concen- 

 trated nitric acid. By boiling impure melam in dilute 

 sulphuric acid, it dissolves, and crystals of sulphate of 

 ammeline appear by evaporation, which are decomposed, 

 if the liquid is boiled or further concentrated. Ammelide 

 precipitates by the addition of the alkaline carbonates or 

 alcohol. It is a white powder and seems a neutral body. 

 Its composition corrected by theory is, 



Carbon .... 28*444 

 Azote .... 49-410 

 Oxygen. . . . 18-606 

 Hydrogen . . . 8-538 



100-000 



Liebig considers that it represents an anhydrous cyanate 

 of ammonia or urea, which is deprived of all its water and 

 the half of it ammonia. It is remarkable, that among the 

 transformations of melamine, its saturating properties seem 

 to diminish in proportion to the quantity of oxygen with 

 which it combines. The same observation is applicable to 

 vegetable bases, as for example, narcotine and solanine 

 whose basic functions are not well characterized, but 

 which are distinguished from the stronger bases by con- 

 taining a greater proportion of oxygen. 



6. Cyanilic acid. — If the yellow powder which is obtained 

 from the decomposition of sulpho-cyanodide of potassium 



