Analysis of Oil of Wine, &c. 313 
acid, for oil of wine always holds in solution an excess of this 
hydrocarbon, from which it is impossible to free it. In order 
to determine, therefore, the quantity of hydrocarbon in com- 
bination with the sulphuric acid, some oil of wine was heated 
with water, and precipitated carbonate of barytes was then 
added to it, which was dissolved, with effervescence. When, 
however, the solution was evaporated, it soon became acid, 
and sulphate of barytes precipitated. On treating a further 
quantity of oil of wine in the same manner, but precipitating 
the barytic solution by carbonate of potash, and evaporating 
at a temperature of 150° Fahr. it yielded tabular crystals, not 
unlike chlorate of potash, very soluble in water and alcohol, 
and burning with a flame resembling that of zther. These 
crystals were found to contain, in 100 parts, 
Potash). 5334 scp Serene > eon a8 Be 
Sulphuricacid ........ . 48°84 
Carson gota «Since Gisteoe eles 
Elydnopen” ae oe ghee see oe 
Water Saini wieiichsion tern 600 
101°00 , 
It thus appears, that in this salt four proportionals of car- 
bon united with four of hydrogen, are combined with one of 
sulphuric acid, forming oil of wine. : 
Mr. Hennell ascertained that this salt was identical with that 
called sulphoyinate of potash; and whilst preparing some of 
the sulphovinates, for the purpose of comparing them with the 
salts obtained from oil of wine in this manner, he found that 
a great reduction of the saturating power of sulphuric acid was 
produced by its mixture with alcohol; 440 ers. of acid mixed 
with an equal weight of alcohol, requiring for their saturation 
only 398 grs. of partially dried carbonate of soda, whilst an 
equal weight of pure acid required 555 gfs. of the same 
carbonate. ‘This fact shows that sulphuric acid, by mixture 
with alcohol, is immediately converted into sulphovinic acid ; 
and, in conjunction with the facts detailed in the former part 
of the paper, it also evinces that the loss of saturating power 
cannot be owing, as MM. Vogel and Gay-Lussac have sup- 
posed, to the formation of hyposulphuric acid. 
By heating oil of wine either in solution of potash, or in 
water, much of the excess of hydrocarbon which it contains is 
liberated in the form of an oil, resembling in appearance some 
of the balsams. ‘This oil, as well as the erystals which form 
spontaneously in oil of wine, yielded by analysis carbon and 
hydrogen, in proportions nearly approximating to those of 
sine gas; but in the analyses, which were seyeral times re- 
Vol. 67. No. 336. April 1826. 2K peated, 
