100 



shewn by the description and analyses of two acid salts, the baryta 

 and silver salts, whose composition is thus expressed, 



BaO, HO, C^ H.O G^^ HO^^ 



AgO, HO, C, H,0 Cj, H0„, 



and a neutral baryta salt, of the constitution, 



2 BaO, C, H.O, C,, HO^,. 

 It was shewn that ethylomeconic acid undergoes a curious decom- 

 position in contact with ammonig.. It appears very complex ; and Mr 

 How gave, as representing the composition of the products he ob- 

 tained, an ammonia salt of an amide acid, and the acid itself, the 

 following formulae, 



Ammonia salt 9 NH^O, Cg^ H^^ ^t^cs + ^ ^1- 

 Acid of ... 9 HO, Cg^ Hg^ N^O^j + 3 aq. 



The acid appears to be formed by the grouping together of six atoms 

 of normal amidomeconic acid and one of ammonia. 



The second product of the action of hydrochloric acid gas upon me- 

 conic acid in alcohol was shewn to be an uncrystalline body, to which the 

 formula, C32 O^j ^a^ ^^^ assigned ; and it was considered as formed 

 from the coupling together of equivalents of meconic and ethylome- 

 conic acids, 



C32 H^2 028 = 3 HO, Cj^ HOj^ + 2 HO, C^ H^O C^, HO^j 

 Want of substance prevented a complete study of this body ; but it 

 seems, from a few reactions tried, to be certainly more than a mere 

 mixture of the two acids. 



The third ether described was obtained from the mother liquors 

 of the preceding two. The formula of this substance, biethylome- 

 conic acid, is 



HO, 2 a H.O C,^ HO,,, 



it being meconic acid in which two atoms of basic water are replaced 

 by two equivalents of ether. It is a crystalline substance, fusible in 

 boiling water, in which it also dissolves on agitation. In the dry 

 state it fuses at about 230° Fahr. 



It is an acid, monobasic ; an analysis was given of its ammonia 

 and its baryta salt, their respective formulae are 



NH^O, 2 C^ H.O, C^^ H0„ 



BaO, 2 C^H.O, C^^ HO^,. 

 Biethylomeconic acid is not decomposed by ammonia in the cold ; 

 but Mr How believes it undergoes a change when heated with thi.s 



