URIC ACID. 163 



preceding constituents 2 atoms hydrogen and 2 

 atoms oxygen ; this will give us the component 

 parts of uric acid as follows : 



6 atoms carbon . . = 4'5 



2 atoms azote . . =3-5 



1 atom oxygen . . =1-0 



Thus, uric acid, when anhydrous, contrary to 

 the opinions hitherto entertained by chemists, 

 contains no hydrogen, and instead of a quaternary 

 is only a ternary compound, like the vegetable 

 acids. It contains a much smaller proportion of 

 oxygen than any of the vegetable acids. 



