408 MR HENRY HOW ON MECONIC ACID, 
ier grains, dried at 212°, gave, on ignition, 




1:468 ... _ silver. 
Gitcutations 
Carbon, . . 31:92 32:99) C,, 108 
Hydrogen, . : 2-20 2:08 H, 7 
Oxygen, : : fee 33°45 Orn Ll 
Silver, - 3 31°94 32°25 Ag 1081 
100-00 100-00 33571 
which lead to the formula 
AgO, HO, C,H,O C,, HO,, 
for the dried salt ; the crystals contain two equivalents of water, 
{ 10: 40 grains lost, at 212°, 
0545 ... water. 
This number gives for per-centage 5°24; 5-08 is that corresponding to 
AgO, HO, C,, H, 0,,+2 aq. 
An aqueous solution of acid ethylomeconate of baryta gives with acetate of lead 
a yellowish white, with sulphate of copper a pale green, and with perchloride of 
iron a red-brown precipitate ; this last is readily soluble in an excess of the iron 
salt, forming with it a dark red fluid. 
Neutral Salts of Ethylomeconic Acid.—I have not been successful in procuring 
these salts absolutely pure, although I have tried many. On one occasion I 
obtained, by saturating ethylomeconic acid as nearly as possible with carbonate 
of baryta at a temperature of 212°, and subsequent filtering of the fluid, a salt 
which deposited on cooling in small short yellow needles ; of this 
3-442 grains, dried at 212°, gave 
{ 2:197 ... sulphate of baryta. 
The per-centage of baryta calculated from this is 41°89: 42°19 is the number cor- 
responding to the formula 
2 BaO, C,H,O C,, HO,,. 
Although this result is satisfactory, I could not succeed upon repetition of the 
experiment in obtaining an analytical number sufficiently close to confirm it. 
Those | obtained by heating ethylomeconic acid with excess of carbonate of baryta, 
varied from 42 to 44°5 per cent. baryta, which lead to the conclusion that the acid 
forms basic combinations in addition to acid and neutral salts. The other alkaline 
earths shewed similar deportment with the acid, and when it is heated with an 
excess of carbonate of silver, it remains almost entirely undissolved,—in some 
basic combination. 
When ethylomeconic acid is heated with an excess of caustic potass or soda, 
meconates of these bases are produced. An excess of caustic ammonia decom- 
poses it very readily. 

