410 MR HENRY HOW ON MECONIC ACID, 
The first glance at the above formula reveals a very complex atom, yet in the 
following scheme its derivation seems at least possible. Seven atoms of ammonia 
react on six of the acid ether, 




6 atoms ethylomeconie acid, 5 Gly One. TE a Oy 
+7 .... ammonia, . 4 : : , 1 N, 
Cros Hyg O54 N, 
—6 ...  aleohol, , : ; ; j (Oya dela (Oe 
C 5, Hy; O72 N, 
+6  ... water, HOF 
(Oe a eK OEE GN 
If we consider the above as its derivation, and the six atoms of water as water of 
crystallisation retained at 212°, the acid will be 
C,, H,, N; 0753 
upon examining this, it is found to contain the elements of six atoms of normal 
amidomeconic, corresponding to ethylomeconic acid, plus an equivalent of am- 
monia, 
C,, Hy; N, O ,.=6(2 HO, NH, C,, HO,,) +NH,. 
A comparison of the numerical per-centages required by the formula of the 
normal amidomeconic acid, with those really obtained, is here given to shew how 
widely they differ, 


Mean of Calculation of Amido- 
Experiment. meconic Acid. 
—_—_—_—_— 
Carbon, ; J 39-62 42°21 Ci, 84 
Hydrogen, . ; 3°29 2-51 Hi 4 
Oxygen, ; : ane 48°25 Or, 96 
Nitrogen, . : 7:86 7:03 N 14 
100-00 100-00 199 
Yet that the acid in question is really an amidogen compound resulting from 
meconic acid, is to be inferred from the fact, that when it is heated with solution 
of potass, ammonia is evolved in quantity, and the fluid gives, with hydrochloric 
acid, a crystalline precipitate to be recognised as bimeconate of potass, which, 
upon subsequent treatment in the same manner, furnishes the characteristic scales 
of meconic acid. This is the deportment of an acid amide. 
The appropriation of the atom of ammonia among the six atoms of amido- 
meconic acid, if, indeed, this be the constitution of the compound acid produced, 
seems to have much diminished the basicity of the complex atom, or else the yel- 
low salt is not a neutral one: the amidomeconic acid being bibasic, six of its 
atoms should, in forming a neutral salt, take up twelve equivalents of ammonia, 
but a considerably less amount is found in the yellow ammonia salt: this is 

