52 REDTENBACHER ON THE COMPOSITION OF STEARIC ’ 
composition thus found with that of Chevreul; however, the ac- 
curate coincidence of the numbers obtained in the various com- 
bustions with oxide of copper alone, or with oxide of copper in 
a stream of oxygen gas (and I have here quoted all that I made), 
even of differently prepared acids, but especially the exactness 
of the determination by means of the silver salt, must dissipate 
all doubt respecting their correctness, even supposing I had not 
succeeded in forming other compounds which accorded with it; 
since all other salts, either from the difficulty of obtaining them 
in a pure state, or from the lowness of the atomic weight of the 
base when compared with that of the acid, and especially from 
the possible loss in the determination of the atomic weight owing 
to the dense fumes which arise, must have given a less accurate 
result,—a result which, should it only differ from three to five 
tenths per cent., would give in an atomic weight of some thousands 
a difference which would amount to some hundreds, and thereby 
render impossible or doubtful all reasoning respecting the true 
composition. 
The neutral salt of lead was prepared by precipitating a solu- 
tion of sugar of lead acidulated with acetic acid, by means of an 
alcoholic solution of the soda salt. 
1:139 gr. of the lead salt thus prepared gave 0°2655 gr. me- 
tallic lead, and 0°0505 gr. oxide of lead; this is equal to 29°55 
per cent. of oxide of lead; by calculation the quantity should be 
29°95 of oxide of lead. 
Further, 0°405 gr. of the lead salt afforded 0°819 gr. carbonic 
acid, and 0°3265 gr. water; this represents in 100 parts, 
Found. Equiv. Per cent. 
iol. ww 5590 8. GR a oe Se Oe a ee 
meoreen ... 896 .. . 664.55. 00e2s'G 7. Bee 
are. . . 5°59 2 oe BiG OOOO: Va eee 
Weel lead: . 29°55 0)" 2 PRM 927890 eee 
100°00 9310°2 100°00 
Finally, I further tried to prepare the compound with oxide of 
ethyl (ather); for this purpose I transmitted hydrochloric acid 
gas through a solution of stearic acid in absolute alcohol until 
it was saturated. The liquid was then slightly heated, mixed 
with warm water, and agitated with it until all hydrochloric acid 
was separated. 
