134 METAMORPHOSES OF BILE. 



When boiled with caustic potash, choleic acid 

 is resolved into carbonic acid, ammonia, and another 

 new acid, cJiolic acid (distinct from the cholic acid 

 of Gmelin). 



Now it is clear that the true formula of choleic 

 acid must include the analytical expression of these 

 modes of decomposition ; in other words, that it 

 must enable us to shew that the composition of the 

 products derived from it is related, in a clear and 

 simple manner, to the composition of the acid itself. 

 This is the only satisfactory test of a formula ; and 

 the analytical expression thus obtained loses nothing 

 of its truth or value, if it should appear, as the re- 

 searches of BERZELIUS seem to shew, that choleic 

 and choloidic acids are mixtures of different com- 

 pounds ; for the relative proportions of the ele- 

 ments cannot in any way be altered by this circum- 

 stance. 



26. In order to develope the metamorphoses 

 which choleic acid suffers under the influence of 

 acids and alkalies, the following formula alone can 

 be adopted as the empirical expression of the results 

 of its analysis. 



Formula of choleic acid : C^N^O^. (29) 



I repeat, that this formula may express the com- 

 position of one, or of two or more compounds ; 

 no matter of how many compounds the so-called 

 choleic acid may be made up, the above formula 

 represents the relative proportions of all their ele- 

 ments taken together. 



