256 EDWARD DIVERS AND TAMEMASA HAGA ; 



getting sulphate produced was not found possible. The mode of the 

 formation of the sulphate may apparently be regarded as that re- 

 presented by — 



3Ba(S0 3 NH 3 ) 2 =3BaS0 4 + HN(S0 3 NH 4 ) 2 +NH 3 + NS + N. 



The hydroxijlaini»e salt. — When sufficiently heated, this salt de- 

 composes suddenly. 



The silver salt. — Crystals of the silver salt decrepitate, when 

 heated, and become topaz-yellow, without losing form or transparency. 

 The melting point of this stable salt Ave have neglected to take, but, 

 apparently below 200°, it melts to an opaque, viscid, yellow, and com- 

 paratively very stable liquid, probably imidosulphonate, NH 4 N(S0 3 Ag) 2 . 

 By stronger heating this liquid gives oft ammonia, with frothing, and 

 becomes semi-solid, being then probably, HN(SÜ 3 Ag).,. To decompose 

 this, temperatures approaching a red heat are necessary ; it then becomes 

 liquid again and gives, along with more free ammonia and a little 

 water, a white sublimate, which behaves as ammonium thiosulphate, 

 giving much milk of sulphur and sulphur dioxide with hydrochloric 

 acid. The residual mass, when cold, looks just like gamboge ; it 

 consists mainly of silver sulphate, but]contains a little ammonium salt. 



The oxymercuric salt. — The oxymercuric salt bears heat well. It 

 «•ives oft* water freely in the first place, and when hotter becomes bright 

 yellow, but whitens whenever cooled. Near a red heat it yields a small 

 sublimate, then melts and freely effervesces, the gases being sulphur 

 dioxide and nitrogen. At a red heat much mercury, as well as 

 mercury sulphates, volatilises. The yellow liquid, on cooling, becomes a 

 white solid, consisting essentially of sulphates. In the remarks which 

 follow, the mercury salt is not taken into consideration, its decom- 

 position being specific. 



Summary account of the effects of heating the acid and its salts. — 

 Varied as are the details of the decomposition of amidosulphonates by 



