46 On the Combination of Acids with Bases, fyc. [July, 



when exposed to the air, recovers again the property of giving 

 out ether which it had lost, and why it is then capable of satu- 

 rating a greater quantity of a saline basis than it was before. 

 The deutoinothionic acid is decomposed as well as its salts into 

 much sulphuric acid and the tritoinothionic acid. It is formed 

 indirectly by the action of heat from the protoinothionic acid, a 

 portion of the elements of alcohol being removed by the superior 

 power of the heat. Hence arises a disproportion between the 

 too great quantity of sulphuric acid and the too small quantity 

 of the elements of alcohol, which occasions the decomposition 

 of this acid in the air. 



Tritoinothionic Acid. 



This acid is most easily procured by exposing the second acid, 

 or the exhausted residuum after the distillation of sulphuric ether, 

 to the air till it ceases to absorb oxygen. The diluted liquid is 

 then saturated with chalk and evaporated. The tritoinothionate 

 of liine deliquesces in the air, but is a permanent salt, and, like 

 all the alcoholic salts, is combustible. Its taste is nearly the 

 same with that of the protoinothionate of lime, to which salt 

 indeed it bears a strong resemblance. 



The alcoholic acids are in this way easily separated from the 

 lime or barytes with which they are combined. When distilled, 

 they yield other products. The three oinothionates of lime yield, 

 when distilled, three new volatile crystallizable acids, similar to 

 succinic acid and to rhussic acid, sulphurous acid gas, liquid 

 sulphuric acid, and an exceedingly pleasant smelling ethereal 

 gas. The remaining acids formed by the union of the strong 

 acids with organized bodies give similar products.* 



I have thus exhibited to the eyes of inquirers a land not 

 hitherto traversed, which promises a rich harvest of discoveries 

 to those who choose to enter upon it. The statements contained 

 in this paper are sufficient, I conceive, to justify me in this 

 confidence. Meanwhile the new acid compounds thus detected 

 do not constitute the whole of the novelties to be expected from 

 this kind of research. KirchhotY's starch sugar from amvlo- 

 thionic acid shows us that other new bodies are likely to be 

 discovered by further researches. 



* That the acids and the salts containing nitric acid, united to organic bodies, 

 give out likewise substances containing azote, I conjectured, when I distilled 

 protoinonitrate of lime ; for the vapour which came over o. i-asioned in me a very- 

 severe malady. This was the case likewise with meconic acid. But more of this 

 in another place. 



