i6o Mr, Faraday on the mutual action of sulphuric acid 



takes place, the results above, minus the baryta, will repre* 

 sent its composition : from which it would appear, that one 

 proportional of the acid consists of two proportionals of sul- 

 phuric acid, twenty of carbon, and eight of hydrogen ; these 

 constituents forming an acid equivalent in saturating power 

 to one proportional of other acids. Hence it would seem, 

 that half the sulphuric acid present, at least when in combi- 

 nation, is neutralized by the hydro-carbon ; or, to speak in 

 more general terms, that the hydro-carbon has diminished 

 the saturating power of the sulphuric acid to one half. This 

 very curious and interesting fact in chemical affinity was 

 however made known to me by Mr. Hennell of Apothecaries' 

 Hall, as occurring in some other compounds of sulphuric 

 acid and hydro-carbon, before I had completed the analysis 

 of the present acid and salts ; and a similar circumstance is 

 known with regard to muriatic acid, in the curious com- 

 pound discovered by M. Kind, which it forms with oil of 

 turpentine. Mr. Hennell is I believe on the point of offering 

 an account of his experiments to the Royal Society, and as 

 regards date they precede mine. 



It may be observed, that the existence of sulphuric acid in 

 the new compounds, is assumed, rather than proved ; and 

 that the non-appearance of sulphurous acid, when sulphuric 

 acid and naphthaline act on each other, is not conclusive as 

 to the non-reaction of the bodies. It is possible that part of 

 the hydrogen of the naphthaline may take oxygen from one 

 of the proportions of the sulphuric acid, leaving the hypo- 

 sulphuric acid of Welter and Gay Lussac, which with the 

 hydro-carbon may constitute the new acid. I have not time 

 at present to pursue these refinements of the subject, or to 



