24 ANIMAL ACIDS DESTITUTE OF AZOTE. 



raised a few degrees above 401, it assumes on cooling the form 

 of a transparent vitreous, brittle matter, which becomes electric 

 when rubbed. In this state it fuses at 221. It is not the least 

 crystalline, but when a little alcohol is poured on it many cracks 

 appear, which have a certain regularity, and even under a thin 

 layer of alcohol it is speedily converted into a mass of crystals. 



When heated in a retort a white vapour was given out, which 

 condensed into a yellowish liquid, and there passed over into the 

 receiver a mixture of empyreumatic oil and acid water. The oil 

 had a penetrating smell similar to that of oil of amber. A small 

 quantity of charcoal remained in the retort. The product of 

 distillation seemed to contain a new acid. It formed with potash 

 a soap, which, when decomposed by muriatic acid, was analogous 

 to the empyreumatic oil employed. 



When heated with a solution of potash or soda, and when the 

 solution is concentrated, it is almost immediately converted into 

 a soap. The soap separates from the liquid when sufficiently 

 concentrated, and swims on the surface as long as the heat con- 

 tinues ; on cooling it constitutes a hard mass, like white colo- 

 phon. This soap is soluble in ether, alcohol, and water, and is 

 decomposed by acids. 



Twenty-eight grains of pure lithofellic acid being saponified 

 by soda, and the soap decomposed by muriatic acid, left 24-375 

 grains of white dry lithofellic acid. The chloride of sodium 

 weighed 4-875 grains. This quantity corresponds with 2-553 of 

 soda. Hence the soap is composed of 



Lithofellic acid, 24-375 or 38-19 

 Soda, . . 2-553 or 4 



Lithofellic acid dissolves in liquid ammonia, and is again preci- 

 pitated unaltered in the state of a white powder by muriatic 

 acid. If we heat the solution on the water-bath decomposition 

 takes place, the lithofellic acid being precipitated in plates. The 

 soda soap of this acid gives heavy and insoluble precipitates with 

 salts of silver, mercury, iron, lead, platinum, lime, and barytes. 

 By the action of nitric acid on lithofellic acid a new acid is 

 formed, which has a lemon-yellow colour, dissolves in soda ley, 

 and separates as a soap from the concentrated ley. Muriatic acid 

 throws down a brown mass insoluble in water, which on cooling 

 becomes solid. 



This acid was subjected to an ultimate analysis by burning it 



3 



