CITRIC ACID. 119 



This result agrees exactly with the preceding 

 one of my own. Had I been aware of Dr. 

 Front's result when I published my first experi- 

 ments on the atomic weight of tartaric acid, it 

 would have induced me to have paused before I 

 stated the integrant particle of these crystals to 

 weigh 9 '5. But I had forgotten the statement 

 of Dr. Prout, till I accidentally met with it 

 after all my experiments on this acid were fin- 

 ished. I mention it now, as affording a strong 

 corroboration of the accuracy of the atomic 

 weight of this acid as now determined : for my 

 opinion of Dr. Front's precision is so high, that 

 I am disposed to place much value upon all his 

 investigations ; for I have had an opportunity of 

 judging of the uncommon care with which all 

 his experiments are performed. 



SECT. III. 



OF THE ATOMIC WEIGHT OF CITRIC ACID. 



THOUGH the taste of citric acid in crystals is as 

 intensely acid as that of tartaric or even oxalic 

 acid, yet it acts with less energy upon other 

 bodies, and does not so easily decompose other 

 salts as these two acids do. Thus, when we mix 

 oxalate or tartrate of ammonia with a solution of 

 muriate of lime, oxalate or tartrate of lime imme- 



