am:moxium amidosulphite. 199 



in tlie early stage and the latter in the late stage of the de- 

 comiDosition. This remarkable production of water, though 

 always evident, was fully established by cooling the escaping 

 gases and testing the water thus collected. The presence of 

 sulphur dioxide later in the ojîeration was shown by the gases 

 fuming on their escape into the air and then forming a small 

 white deposit, slowly turning orange, and reacting as ammonium 

 pyrosuljihite. In the interaction of sulphur dioxide with ammo- 

 nia, and in the decomposition of the amidosulphite, no liberation 

 of nitrogen could ever be discovered. 



To sum up the results of our incomplete work upon the 

 decomposition of ammonium amidosulphite by a graduated and 

 gentle heat, ammonia and a residue consisting of a substance 

 (or substances), which behaves as a thio-amido-sulphouic com- 

 pound, are the principal products ; in much less quantities, water 

 and an orange-red substance are also produced, and, generally if 

 not always, a very little sulphate ; and, as secondary products, 

 apparently sulphamide and certainly amidosulphate and thiosul- 

 pliate are obtainable, as well as imidosulphate, sulphur, and 

 much sulphate. It seems of interest to point out that we here 

 record the first production known of amidosulphate from am- 

 monia and sulphur dioxide, which, hitherto, has been derived 

 either from ammonia and sulphur trioxide or from a nitrite and 

 sulphur dioxide. 



We hope in a future paper to be able to report the com- 

 pletion of this investigation. 



