AMIDOSULPHONIC ACID. 



m 



cator into a white, homogeneous mass of minute, silky libres, soluble 

 again in water unchanged. Alcohol extracts from it no significant 

 quantity of potassium hydroxide. 



Further experiments are necessary to justify us in speaking posi- 

 tively and these, for the time, are impossible. But there can be little 

 doubt, from what has been already ascertained and from analogous facts, 

 that one of the amido-hydrogens is replaceableiby silver, and even by 

 potassium ; that the ochre-yellow colloidal substance, soluble in water 

 (when it is neither too much nor too little), is AgHXS0 3 K ; and that 

 the white, fibrous, very soluble salt is a compound of silver potassium 

 amidosulphonate with dipotassium amidosulphonate (KHNS0 3 K) and 

 potassium nitrate. The power of preventing the precipitation of silver 

 salts by alkalis exhibits amidosulphonic acid playing the part of an 

 amine. It lias no solvent eftect in the case of eu prie salts ; in that of 

 cuprous salts, its action has not yet been tried. The reduction of silver 

 by amidosulphonic acid has been already briefly discussed along with 

 the other properties of the acid. 



Mercurous amidosulphonate cannot exist. The acid gives with a 

 solution of mercurous nitrate a precipitate of metallic mercury and the 

 salt next described. 



Oxymercuric amidosulphonate. — Berglund recorded that silver 

 amidosulphonate gives with mercuric chloride a mixed precipitate of 

 silver chloride and basic mercuric amidosulphonate and sets free some 

 amidosulphonic acid. The normal salt cannot be obtained. When 

 mercuric oxide and amidosulphonic acid are ground together and 

 moistened, they slowly interact, so that, with occasional stirring, the 

 action is complete in two or three days. But they produce only the 

 oxymercuric salt, (H 2 NS0 3 HgO) 2 Hg, 20H 2 , any excess of acid dissolv- 

 ing out in water, without taking any mercury with it, and any excess 

 of mercuric oxide, evident by its red colour, being removable by 



