158 DR. LOWIG ON THE ESSENTIAL OIL 



of potash or soda be poured over this salt, the ammoniacal odour is not 

 immediately developed, but becomes so after continued contact or the 

 application of heat. This circumstance might lead to the supposition, 

 that in this compound there is a similar relation between the acid and 

 the alkali as in the cyanate of ammonia. 



At the same time it must be observed, that acids immediately decom- 

 pose this compound, the oil being deposited, undecomposed, and a cor- 

 responding salt of ammonia formed. 0*21 3grm. of hydrospiroilate^of 

 ammonia obtained in crystals by evaporating the alcoholic solution 

 was decomposed by dilute muriatic acid ; the solution thus obtained was 

 evaporated to dryness in a water-bath, and the remaining neutral sa- 

 line mass again dissolved in water. By precipitation with nitrate of sil- 

 ver, 0"239grm. of chloride of silver were obtained; as these correspond 

 to 0'0288 of ammonia, the above 0*21 3grm. consist of 



Ammonia 0-0288, or in 100 parts 13-52 



Hydrospiroilic acid 0-1850 86-48 



0-2138 100-00 



1 equivalent ammonia = lY-18 or 13-38 

 1 hydrospiroilic acid = 111 'BS — 86*62 



1 eq. hydrospiroilate of ammonia 128-74? 100-00 



Spiroilide of Potassium. 



The spiroilide of potassium may be obtained eitlier by gently heat- 

 ing together potassium and hydrospiroilic acid, hydrogen being evolved, 

 or by bringing together either the pure or the watery hydrospiroilic acid 

 and solution of potash. Spiroilide of potassium is difficulty soluble in 

 water. 



If the aqueous solution be slowly evaporated, small prismatic straw- 

 coloured crystals are obtained. Left in contact with the air it soon 

 decomposes, absorbing moisture and carbonic acid, like the hydro- 

 spiroilate of ammonia. It may nevertheless be kept unaltered for a long 

 time in close vessels. The smell resembling that of roses is likewise 

 perceptible during the decomposition of this substance ; at the end, 

 carbonate of potash remains. 



1 eq. potassium 39*20 26*87 24-93 



leq. spiroil 110-56 73-13 75-07 



leq.spiroilidepotassium 149-76 100-00 lOO'OO 



Spiroilides of Sodium, Calcium and Barium. These possess similar 



properties to the spiroilide of potassium, but the two latter compounds 



are still less soluble in water. 



Spiroilide of Magnesium may be obtained by agitating together the 



