Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 383 



by direct Atomic Calculated 



Analysis. Composition. Results. 



Carbon 83'37 .... 33 .... 83-38 



Hydrogen 13-32 .... 65 .... 13-30 



Oxygen 3-31 .... 1 .... 3-32 



If the analysis of ambreine, as here stated, be compared with that 

 of cholesterine by M, Chevreul, it will appear that the former con- 

 tains a little more hydrogen, which may explain its greater solubi- 

 lity in alcohol. 



As in this analysis, in which M.Gay Lussac's method was adopted, 

 the oxygen is determined by inference, the slightest loss in esti- 

 mating the carbonic acid and water would occasion the disappear- 

 ance of the small portion of oxygen, and the ambreine would be re- 

 duced to a peculiar carburetted hydrogen ; but the analogy existing 

 between cholesterine and ambreine, and the circumstance that na- 

 phtha in which ambreine is dissolved, is unfit for the preservation of 

 potassium, renders such an opinion improbable. 



Cholesterine and ambreine, when treated with nitric acid, give rise 

 to two different acids, which have been described by MM. Pelletier 

 and Caventou. The cholesteric acid was particularly examined, 

 and the salts which it forms with strontia carefully analysed. The 

 results were — 



by direct Atomic. 



Analysis. Composition. Calculated Results. 



Carbon 54-93 . . 13 atoms = 993694 . . 54-99 



Azote 471 ..1 = 88-518 .. 4 89 



Hydrogen .. 7*01 ..20 = 124-800 .. 6'96 



Oxygen 33-35 ..6 = 600012 .. 33-20 



Atomic weight = 1807*024 

 Ambreic acid differs from cholesteric acid in several properties, 

 which have been pointed out ; and they differ in composition, as 

 will appear by the following statement of the composition of the 

 former : 



by direct Atomic Calculated 



Analysis. Composition. Results. 



Carbon 51-942 .... 21 .... 51-96 



Azote 8-505 3 8-59 



Hydrogen . . * 7-137 .... 35 .... 7-07 



Oxygen 32-416 10 32-37 



The existence of azote in acids derived from the action of nitric 

 acid upon organized substances which do not contain any, is a re- 

 markable and entirely new fact. Hitherto the few known azotized 

 acids derived from the action of nitric acid upon organic matter were 

 formed from substances which contained azote, so that in these 

 cases it could not be said that azote was transferred from the nitric 

 acid to the vegetable matter ; but in this case, as the animal matter 

 contains no azote, it is evidently derived from the nitric acid. 

 M. Couerbe, indeed, has lately found an acid, resulting from the ac- 

 tion of nitric acid upon meconine, which crystallizes in fine needles, 



