-A04 dA Memoir on the Urie Acid. 
2. ‘They are all permanent, or undergo no 
change, by exposure to the atmosphere, 
_ 8, Though more soluble than the uric acid 
itself, yet they are universally difficult of so- 
lution, even by hot water. Of urate of pot- 
ash, an ounce of boiling water takes up about 
a grain. This is the most soluble; and the 
rest succeed it in the following order, urates 
of soda, haryta, strontita, lime, amRAABIA> 
magnesia, and alumine, 
4. They are decomposed by a red batt 
and. after being burnt with access of air, the 
base remains in the state of a carbonate, ex- 
cepting when we employ the urate of ammo- 
nia.* After being’ thus decomposed, the 
quantity of alkali, which has saturated the 
acid, proves to be extremely small. The 
urates of potash and soda, after the destruc- 
tion of their acid in this way, leave only 
about one eighth their weight of the respee- 
tive subcarbonates. of those ‘alkalis., . Also, 
ten grains of uric acid, dissolved, by potash 
or soda, and precipitated by carbonate of am- 
monia, give from 9, to, bO grains of dry urate. 
This, fact shews, Ist. That the uric acid 
* Mr. Forbes, who composed the urates of magnesia and 
alumine, and. investigated their properties, remarks that 
after evaporation to dryness, they emit volatile alkali ata 
degree of heat not very considerable. (On Gout, &e, p. 15.) 
