I<4 On the Chetmcal Nature of Anis. 



calcination to which it was neceflary to fubjeft their charcoal 

 in order to incinerate it, decompofed this fah,,and carried it 

 to the ilate of lime : to confirm this conjefture would have 

 required more of the charcoal than we were able to procure. 



I4lh. It refiilts from this analyfis that ants are formed of 

 a larire quantity of carbon united to a fmal! quantity of hy- 

 droiTcn, and no doubt alfo to a lililc oxygen. This com- 

 pomid is mixed with phofphale of lime, which conltitutes 

 the folid part or the fkeklon of the infeA. Ants, befides the 

 preceding compound, contain a pretty large quantity of refin, 

 Ibkible in alcohol, which icenis to exift in them completely 

 formed, fince the application of this re-agent is fufficient tu 

 extract and obtain it feparately. It is probable that they 

 conceal alfo fome parts of animal albumen and gelatine; but 

 as thefe animals were fubjetled to diUillation immediately 

 after their treatment by alcohol, it was impoflible to obtain 

 the two materials feparately. 



What ought to be molt interefting to chemift? among the 

 refults obtained by the analyfis of ants, is the prefence of the 

 acetous and malic acids in thefe infefts, Thefe acids, as 

 appears, exilt in them in a very large quantity and in a very 

 conlidcrable ftatc of concentration, fince in bruifing them in 

 a mortar there is difcngaged, as already obferved, an acetic 

 acid vapour lb fliarp and penetrating that it is impoffible to 

 endure it even at the diftance of three feet. It appears alfo 

 that acetous acid continually exudes and diftills, as we may 

 iav, from thefe animals; lor ihey leave traces of it on the 

 bodies which they traverfe. All chemifts ktiow, that if moift- 

 encd tnrnfole paper be put into an ant-hill, or even if it be 

 lufpended at fome didance, it foon acquires a red colour. It 

 is known alio, that if a certain number of ants be collecfed 

 in a fmall quantity of milk it becomes curdled; and that if 

 fugar attacked by ants, and on which they have remained 

 fome time, be put into milk, it curdles in the fame manner. 

 Tl>e acidity of ants is proved Ixfides by the llrong imprcffion 

 they make on the niouth when chewed : this imprcdion is 

 alnioft as Itrong as that produced by radical vinegar. There 

 is reafon to prefume that it is this acid in a concentrated 

 Hale, which by infinuating itfelf into the places bit by ants 

 renders them fo painful, and caufes the parts wounded by 

 thefe infet^ls to fwelt. 



One is afl(mi(hed on the firfl view at the quantity of acid 

 which thefe infeti^s continually furuifh, and in particular ihat 

 thev can live in the midlt of fo Iharp a li(|uid ; but it is proba- 

 ble that this acid is feparated from the other humours by pe- 

 culiar velVels which have no communication with the elfen- 



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