the Analyses of M. Klaproth. 83 



Sufficient quantity of water to dissolve the cr^'stals, after 

 which it was fihercd : it then deposited, by evaporation, 

 small prismatic crystals with six planes. 



3d. Fifty grains of melilite coarsely pulverized, and on 

 which weak sulphuric acid was poured, were soon com- 

 pletely dissolved, without heat, except some carbonaceous 

 parts and a few gra.ins of quartz accidentally adherent. The 

 solution filtered, and then concentrated, coagulated into a 

 soft mass, ramified by small crystals in needles, without 

 giving any appearance of real crystals of alum, which proves 

 that melilite contains no potash. 



In the decomposition of 100 parts of melilite in the dry 

 way, a great deal of carbonic acid and hydrogen gas, &c. 

 was disengaged. — These Mr. Klaproth collected under bells 

 filled with mercury, and prove that the acid of melilite 

 is analogous to vegetable acids ; that it is composed of car- 

 bon, hydrogen, and oxygen, and consequently decompo- 

 sable by fire. The residuum in the retort was black and 

 brilliant. The fragments had lost nothing of their form or 

 volume. They weighed 5 grains. When calcined in the 

 open air, they gradually lost their black colour and their 

 carbon: they became yellowish-blue: they weighed 16 

 grains. When dissolved in sulphuric acid they gave, by 

 the addition of acetite of potash, crystals of akmi. 



A hundred parts of melilite, analyzed in the dry way, 



34 inches in a line of carbonic acid gas 



25 of hydrogen gas 



38 grains of acidulous and aromatic w-ater 



2 of aromatic oil 



9 of pure carbon 

 16 of alumine, combined with a little silex. 



Decomposition of Melilite hy JVater, 

 Four hundred grains of melilite boiled for two hours 

 with 60 ounces of water were decomposed : the decompo- 

 sition when filtered to separate the alumine jrave, bv eva- 

 poration, crystals in needles, and an acid mass of small balls 

 formed of diverging radii proceeding from one center. It 

 remained to be known whether this acid of two radicals 

 could belong to any of the known vegetable acids, or whe- 

 ther it had characteristic properties which ought to make 

 it be considered as a particular acid. 



The properties by which it is distinguished from all the 

 other vegetable acids are as follows : 



1st. Mclitic acid crystallizes into fine needles, or globules, 

 F 3 formed 



