88 Mr. T. G. Tilley on (Enanthal, fyc. 



solved in strong spirits of wine, and a stream of sulphurous 

 acid passed through the solution, a crystalline powder falls in 

 considerable quantities. If the alcoholic solution be not too 

 concentrated, the salt is deposited more slowly and in a more 

 decidedly crystalline form. These crystals are small prisms, 

 which glitter in the sun and are brilliantly white. They are 

 slightly soluble in alcohol and water, but more so in the former 

 than in the latter ; and may partly be obtained again by eva- 

 poration, but they are in a great measure decomposed. When 

 mixed with water in the cold they are slowly decomposed, 

 but when heated in this fluid the decomposition takes place 

 more rapidly, cenanthal being evolved and the fluid containing 

 bisulphite of ammonia. In the presence of strong acids de- 

 composition proceeds still more quickly. Heated on a plate 

 of platinum this salt melts, white fumes are given offj it 

 blackens, and lastly burns with a flame, the vapours smelling 

 of cenanthal. 



To estimate the sulphur, the bisulphite of cenanthylammon 

 was warmed in a large platinum vessel with strong caustic 

 potash free from sulphate, the water evaporated, and the mass 

 ignited with pure nitrate of potash. This method is attended 

 with no difficulties, provided the platinum vessel be sufficiently 

 large to prevent loss by particles being scattered on the appli- 

 cation of heat. The nitrogen was determined as the double 

 chloride of platinum and ammonia. 



0-2770 substance gave 0-340 sulphate of baryta 

 0-2210 substance gave 0*2400 chlor. pt. amm., 

 which numbers lead to the following rational formula : — 

 Found. Atoms. 



2437'5 

 Or its rational formula is — 



C 14 H ]3 O, SO g + S0 2 NH 4 O ; 



and it may be considered as a double salt of the sulphite of 

 cenanthal, and the sulphite of the oxide of ammonium. 



The analogy between this substance and taurine is interest- 

 ing ; for the substance described in this section is the body 

 isomeric with taurine found by Redtenbacher, 



C 4 H 3 OS0 2 +S0 2 NH 4 0, 



with the elements of cenanthal substituted for those of aldehyde. 



