HYDROGEN AND NITROGEN. 411 



of the formation of oxamide and other amides ; but ammonia 

 was first fully studied under this point of view by Dr. Kane, in 

 his elaborate and valuable paper on the compounds of ammonia 

 lately published.* He has there successfully illustrated the 

 nature of the two following classes of ammoniacal compounds, 

 namely, those of ammonia with dry acids, and with anhydrous 

 salts. 



Ammonia and anhydrous oxygen acids. Ammoniacal gas is 

 condensed by dry carbonic acid gas, sulphurous acid, anhydrous 

 sulphuric acid, &c., and saline compounds are formed which are 

 not to be confounded with the ordinary salts of ammonia, these 

 containing ammonium. The class of salts in question has been 

 minutely studied by Rose.f Ammonia, or the amide of hydro- 

 gen being viewed by Dr. Kane as a weak base, like water or the 

 oxide of hydrogen, these salts are compared by him with hy- 

 drated acids or salts of water. They are the true salts of am- 

 monia as a base. 



With carbonic acid ammonia combines only in the proportion 

 of single equivalents, or 4 vols. of ammoniacal gas with 2 vols. 

 of carbonic acid. This carbonate of ammonia is a light, white, 

 very volatile powder, of a strong ammoniacal odour, in the 

 vapour of which the constituent gases are united without con- 

 densation. The density of this vapour is, therefore, 902. This 

 compound exists in, and is the cause of the strong odour of the 

 smelling salts, or carbonate of ammonia of the shops. By 

 water it is decomposed, and resolved into free ammonia and the 

 bicarbonate of the oxide of ammonium. 



With sulphurous acid gas, ammonia condenses in two propor- 

 tions : namely, 4 vols. of ammonia with 2 and 4 vols. of sul- 

 phurous acid, forming a neutral sulphite and a bisulphite of 

 ammonia. The neutral salt attaches itself to the sides of the 

 vessel in which the gases are mixed as a solid crust, or in fea- 

 thery crystals of a reddish yellow colour. It rapidly absorbs 

 moisture from the air, becomes white, and changes into the 

 neutral sulphite of the oxide of ammonium. 



With anhydrous sulphuric acid, ammonia appears also to 



* Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy, vol. 19, pt. I. 



T On the Combinations of Ammonia with Carbonic Acid ; Taylor's Scientific 

 Memoirs, vol. 2, p. 98 :' 



Sur le Sulfate anhydre d'Ammoniaque, An. de Ch. et de Ph. t. 62, p. 389- 

 Sur le Sulfite anhydre d'Ammoniaque, lb. p. 407. 



