78 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



hydrochloric acid, 0-452 of mercury. 0*700 afforded 18 cubic centim. 



of damp azote at 54° and 075. These results are equivalent to 



Carbon 480 or 4 eqs. 4*53 



Hydrogen 0-45 — 2 eqs. 0-37 



Mercury 75-30 — 2 eqs. 74-80 



Azote 2-70 — 1 eq. 2-60 



Oxygen 16-76 — 6 eqs. 17-70 



100-00 100-00 



This leads to so complicated a formula, that they merely give it 

 without insisting on its correctness : 



2 (C+ H'i 0% H g O) + A z"- 0% H g"- O, 

 which would indicate the existence of a compound of 2 eqs. of formi- 

 ate of mercury and 1 eq. of nitrate of mercury. 



By passing anhydrous sulphuric acid into pyroxylic spirit, diluting 

 the liquor, and supersaturating by barytes, there are obtained sulphate 

 of barytes, which precipitates, and sulphocarbohydrate of barytes, 

 which remains in solution. The solution freed from excess of barytes 

 by carbonic acid, and being concentrated at a low temperature and 

 then suffered to crystallize spontaneously, furnishes truncated prisms 

 very thin and long, which appear to have a rhomboidal base. 



In the same circumstances the common sulphocarbohydrate of ba- 

 rytes affords very different crystals ; but the composition of the salt 

 produced from the anhydrous acid does not differ from the salt afforded 

 by the common acid. This salt is composed of 



Expt. Calcul. 



Carbon 6-95 6-89 



Hydrogen 1'75 1-66 



Sulphate of barytes 64-70 65-15 



The calculation was founded on the formula 



B a O, S 03 + C* H^ S O^, H"- O. 

 It appears then that a series of isomeric sulphocarbohydrates exist, 

 resulting from the action of sulphuric acid on pyroxylic spirit. 



Tartrocarbohydrate of barytes may be obtained by mixing a solution 

 of tartaric acid in pyroxylic spirit, and a solution of barytes in the 

 same spirit together, and washing the precipitate with anhydrous py- 

 roxylic spirit. It is composed of 



Exp. Calcul. 



Carbon 23*9 25-3 or 20 eqs. 



Hydrogen .... 3-0 33 — 16 eqs. 



Barytes 308 31-8 — 1 eq. 



Oxygen 41-3 39-6 — 12 eqs. 



This salt is in a gelatinous state when formed in the pyroxylic spirit* 

 but when washed with water it becomes granular and is converted into 

 tartrate of barytes. 



The oxalic, acetic, and benzoic acids dissolved in pyroxylic spirit, 

 and added to barytes likewise dissolved in spirit, produce merely their 

 respective salts, the two latter anhydrous. 



