40 SEVENTH REPORT—1837. 
“Winkler found that when the distilled water of bitter almonds was 
mixed with muriatic acid, a new acid was obtained. The distilled water 
of bitter almonds, in a pure state, contains nothing but prussic acid 
and oil of bitter almonds (hydret of Benzoyl). When treated with 
muriatic acid, we obtain sal ammoniac and the new acid, and nothing 
else. It is evident from this, and the conclusion is corroborated by 
the ultimate analysis of the new acid, that the hydrocyanic acid of the 
liquid is decomposed by the action of the muriatic acid into ammonia 
and formic acid, that the ammonia combines with the muriatic acid, 
and that the formic acid, in the nascent state, unites with the oil of 
bitter almonds to form a compound acid in which the power of sa- 
turation of the formic acid is not changed. This acid performs in 
every respect the part of a simple acid; and its existence has rendered 
probable the supposition, that the same views respecting other acids 
are not without foundation. Another interesting fact respecting this 
acid is that when heated with hyperoxides it is decomposed in a par- 
ticular manner, only one of its proximate constituents being oxidized, 
while the other suffers no change. The products obtained are carbonic 
acid and oil of bitter almonds. 
“ Now, I think it must be evident to every one that uric acid must 
possess a composition similar to that of the acid just mentioned, and 
therefore that its oxidation in the same manner would in all proba- 
bility lead to interesting results. We obtained, in fact, results which 
corresponded to our expectations. Uric acid may be considered as a 
compound of urea with a peculiar acid; that is, we may view it as 
analogous to nitrate of urea. This acid contains the radical of oxalic 
acid combined with cyanogen. I have attempted to show, in some 
former researches, that carbonic oxide, and not carbon, constitutes the 
radical of carbonic acid and of oxalic acid, and that phosgene gas 
might be considered as containing the same radical in combination 
with chlorine. If we indicate carbonic oxide by R, these compounds 
will be as follows: 
1. Phosgene gas R+C]. 2. Carbonic acid R40. 8. Oxalic Acid 2R-+0. 
“ Now the acid which combines with urea to form uric acid may be 
expressed by the formula R+Cy. Viewed in this manner, the com- 
position of uric acid will be 4(R+Cy)+ Ur. 
** Uric acid, when heated with brown hyperoxide of lead, was decom- 
posed into three different products, oxalic acid, urea, and a peculiar 
substance which we may view as a compound of cyanogen and water, 
and which is identical with a body long known, called allantoic acid, 
from having been first found in the allantoic fluid, but which it would 
be better to call allantoin, as it is capable of acting equally as an acid 
and a base. 
“One atom of uric acid decomposed by the action of two atoms of 
hyperoxide of lead, is converted (supposing 3 atoms of water to be 
present, ) into 2 atoms oxalate of lead, 1 atom of allantoin, and 1 atom 
of urea. 
