Chemical Science. 395 



and nitrogen, in the proportions fit to form ammonia, and pro- 

 bably by the absorption of oxygen by the sulphuric acid. 



3. That gelatine may thus be changed into a very crystalliz- 

 able sugar, vphich does not appear to exist naturally. 



4. That this sugar combines with nitric acid, without decom- 

 position, and forms a peculiar crystallized acid. 



5. That wool, and especially fibrine, with sulphuric acid, 

 form a peculiar white matter, which may be called leucine. 



6. That this substance combines with nitric acid, without de- 

 composition, and produces a crystallizable nitro-Ieucic acid. 



7. That other incrystallizable and sapid compounds, analo- 

 gous to certain vegetable principles, are produced by the action 

 of sulphuric acid on animal substances. 



Annates de Chimie, xiii. p. 113. 



2. On the action of Sulphuric Acid on Alcohol and on the new 

 Acids formed. — Several papers have been published at different 

 times on the change which has been asserted to take place in the 

 sulphuric acid, when employed in the formation of ether. M. 

 Dabit, in the year 1800, published a paper, in which he stated 

 that the acid was deprived of oxygen, and reduced to a state 

 intermediate between sulphuric and sulphurous acid ; and being 

 reproached (justly) with a want of experiments in his paper, he, 

 two years afterwards, published another, in which he demonstrat- 

 ed the existence of the peculiar acid he had before asserted. 

 These papers are published in the 34th and 43d volumes of the 

 Ann. de Chitnic. The formation of the new acid was proved by 

 saturating the residuum left in making ether, with either lime or 

 barytes, filtering and evaporating, a salt of lime or baryles was 

 obtained, which was not a sulphate or a sulphite. 



M. .Sertuerner has since published an account of three 

 new acids, formed by the action of sulphuric acid on alcohol. He 

 has given them the following names : acidum proloenothio7ii- 

 cum, acidum deuicenothionicum, acidum triloenothionicum. The 

 first is formed by mixing equal parts of sulphuric acid and pure 

 alcohol, heating the mixture, and then saturating with chalk ; 

 on filtration and evaporation, a salt of the first acid is obtained. 



