FORMATION OF A VEGETO^ALKALI. 255 



Portions of the new body, prepared in the manner above stated, and very carefully 

 dried over sulphuric acid, gave the following results on analysis by combustion with 

 oxide of copper. The proportion of nitrogen was determined by the excellent method 

 of MM. Will and Varrentrapp. 



fiubstance employed . . . 7*94 grs. 637 grs. 4-195grs. 



Carbonic acid produced . 19-34 grs. 15-57 grs. 10*24 grs. 



Water produced .... 3-24 grs. 2-59 grs. 1-69 grs. 

 Hence, in 100 parts — 



^ . (1) (2.) ' (3.) 



Carbon 66-55 grs. 6666 grs. 66-57 grs. 



Hydrogen 4*53 grs. 452 grs. 4*47 grs. 



Determination of nitrogen* : — 



(1-) (2.) (3.) 



Substance employed . . . 6-02 grs. 4*65 grs. 4*45 grs. 



Platinum-salt obtained . . 10-10 grs. 7*62 grs. 7*17 grs. 



Per-centage of nitrogen . 10-58 10*54 10*16 



These results lead directly to the formula C15 H5NO3; when this is reckoned to 

 100 parts, it gives — b-^ ^h;> 



Carbon .... 67-13 

 Hydrogen . . . 4*47 

 Nitrogen . . . 10*48 

 Oxygen . . . . 1792 



10000 

 Hence it is clear that the solid substance is produced from the oil by the assimila- 

 tion of the elements of one equivalent of ammonia, and the separation of those of 

 three equivalents of water. 



Oil C,.H« 0«1 r solid CisHgNOa 



'15 Hg ^6 "I _ / 



H.N J I 



-fl eq. ammonia . H3N J 1 3 eq. water. . . H3 O3 



CisH^NOe Ci^HgNOg 



The new substance belongs in fact to the class of the amides, which it resembles 

 in many important particulars, as will be more apparent in the sequel. 



In the year 1841 Dr. Stenhouse-}- published an interesting paper on a peculiar oily 

 matter, first noticed by Doebereiner, which occasionally appears in very small 

 quantity, in the preparation of artificial formic acid from sugar or starch, oxide of 

 manganese, and dilute sulphuric acid, and to which he gave the name of artificial oil 

 of ants. Dr. Stenhouse, in the investigation above referred to, succeeded in pre- 



* It may not be amiss perhaps to mention, that in the method adopted the organic substance is strongly 

 heated in a hard glass tube with a mixture of hydrate of soda and quicklime. The whole of the nitrogen issues 

 thence in the form of ammonia, and being condensed into hydrochloric acid, is afterwards converted into chlo- 

 ride of platinum and ammonium, from the weight of which that of the nitrogen is easily calculated. 



t Philosophical Magazine for February 1841 ; also Annalen der Chemie und Phannacie, xxxv. p. 301. 



