ROSE ON THE AXIIYDROUS SULPHATE OF AMMONIA. 563 



as this opinion may be, the explanation which Dr. Kane gives 

 of the com230unds of ammonia with hydrous oxacids is equally 

 so ; these are regarded by Berzelius as salts of the oxide of 

 ammonium, and on this view, the analogy of these salts, with 

 those formed with other oxibases, is maintained ; as is also the 

 isomorphism of some salts of potash and the oxide of ammo- 

 nium ; and these opinions were rapidly and almost universally 

 adopted. But according to Dr. Kane, this numerous class of 

 ammoniacal salts consists of combinations of acids with two 

 bases, the oxide and amide of hydrogen ; and the sulphate of 

 oxide of ammonium becomes on this view analogous to several 

 sulphates, which, at a higher temperature, retain one atom of 

 water. But the perfect analogy and isomorphism of these am- 

 moniacal salts with the salts of potash, are thrown into the back 

 ground by Dr. Kane's theory, instead of being advanced. Prof. 

 Graham*, for similar reasons, adopts the opinions of Berzelius 

 justly, as he acknowledges the importance of the theory of Dr. 

 Kane. 



I will direct the attention of the reader to an analogy existing 

 between the compounds of sulphuric acid with ammonia, and of 

 the same acid with bicarburetted hydrogen (the elayl or eetherol 

 of Berzelius) which was long since pointed out by Dumas f. 

 The elayl and the ammonium produce, when combined with hy- 

 drogen, one the hypothetical radicle aethyle, the other the no less 

 hypothetical radicle ammonium ; both radicles may be combined 

 with sulphur, chlorine, bromine and iodine : combined with 

 the elements of water, one yields the base, oxide of aethyle, the 

 other the base oxide of ammonium. Both bases may be com- 

 bined with anhydrous oxyacids ; both the bicarburetted hy- 

 drogen, as well as the ammonia, may be united by direct com- 

 bination with anhydrous sulphuric acid ; this acid may likewise 

 be combined with oxide of cethyle, a compound contained in the 

 sulpho-tartaric acid and in its salts, and also Mith the oxide of 

 ammonium. The sulphuric acid forms compounds also with 

 elayl (or rather with a^therol), as well as with ammonia, which 

 contain so much water, or its elements, that only half the quan- 

 tity of the bicarburetted hydrogen or the ammonia can be con- 

 verted by it into the oxide of a;thyle, or the oxide of ammonium ; 

 the former compound is the oil of wine (sulphate of the oxide of 



• Elements of Chemistry. J}y T. Graluim, p. 117. 

 t Poggeiidorfr's JnnaUii, Bd. xii. S. 452. 



