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XV. On a new Acid procured from Animal Subjlances, called fit 

 Zoonic Acid. By Mr. BERTHOLLET. From the Annales 

 de Chimie, Vol. XXVI. 



T 



JL HE liquid procured by difhllation from animal uib- 

 fiances has appeared hitherto to contain only carbonate of 

 ammoniac and an oil •, but I have found in it an acid,, to 

 which I have given the name of the -zoonic acid. I obferved 

 this acid in the liquid obtained from the gluten of wheat, 

 the yeaft of beer, bones, and woollen rags, diftilled for the 

 preparation of the muriate of ammoniac. I think nvyfelf 

 therefore authorifed to confider it as produced by the diftiL- 

 lation of all animal fubftances. 



To feparate this acid, I mix quicklime with the diHilled 

 liquid after having feparated the oil, and then boil or diflil 

 the mixture. The carbonate of ammoniac is exhaled ; and 

 when the odour ceafes to be (harp (piquant), I filter, and 

 add a little quicklime to the liquid, which I boil again, till 

 the fmell of the ammoniac goes off" entirely. What remains 

 is zoonate of lime, which I filter again. I then pour upon 

 it water impregnated with carbonic acid, or I blow into the 

 liquid with my mouth, through a tube, in order to precipi- 

 tate, by the carbonic acid of the refpired air, the quicklime 

 which may be held in folution without being combined. 

 Zoonate of lime may therefore be employed to effect com- 

 binations by complex affinities ; but to obtain the zoonic 

 acid pure I make life of the following procefs : I mix the 

 folution of zoonate of lime in water, made pretty ftrong 

 IrapJ-rochee) in a tubulated retort with the phofphoric acid; 

 I then diilil it. The diftillation, as the zoonic acid has 

 very little volatility,, requires a degree of heat nearly equal 

 to that of boiling water. The liquor muft then be made to 

 boil. If two veflels be adapted, one after the other, nothing 

 will pafs into the fecond. It appears that a part of the acid 

 is dsftroyed by the action of the heat •, for the liquid which 



is 



