372 ■ Miscellanies, 



This substance may be more easily obtained by passing a current 

 of dry chlorine, over the sulphocyanid of potassium, heated till it 

 commences to melt, and washing the residue with water. There 

 is disengaged during the process, the chlorids of sulphur and cy- 

 anogen. 



Mellon is insoluble in water, and all neutral hquids. At the melt- 

 ing point of glass, it is decomposed into three vols, of cyanogen and 

 two vols, of nitrogen. Heated with the oxyd of copper, it gives 

 ofT three vols, of carbonic acid for two of nitrogen. With potassium 

 it forms a transparent, fusible compound. It dissolves in potash and 

 nitric acid with the formation of ammonia, and a deposit of a pecu- 

 liar acid, crystallized in long white needles, ((jyanilic acid.) 



Melam. — By distilling a mixture of one part of sulphocyanid of 

 potassium, and two of sal ammoniac, ammonia, sulphuret of carbon 

 and of hydrogen, are disengaged, and there remains a body which 

 when well washed, is the substance I call Melam. 



Thus formed, it is a heavy yellow powder ; it is not, however, 

 quite pure, being mixed with a yellow substance, which is owing to 

 the decomposition by heat of a part of it, during its formation. To 

 purify it, it is necessary to boil it in a concentrated solution of pot- 

 ash, until part is dissolved. On cooling, it is then found to be a 

 white, dull, granulous powder. Its composition is, 



Treated with concentrated nitric acid, it is dissolved and trans- 

 formed wholly into cyanuric acid and ammonia. Fused with the 

 hydrate of potassa, it gives rise to cyanate of potassa and ammonia. 

 The acids muriatic and sulphuric, change it into two new bodies am- 

 meline and ammelid. 



When dissolved in a moderately concentrated solution of potash, 

 a substance which I name melamine, in brilliant crystalline plates, 

 separates from the liquid on cooling, and by saturating with an acid, 

 the liquid from which the melamine was deposited, a precipitate of 

 ammeline is thrown down. 



Melamine. — This substance crystallizes in octahedrons of a white 

 color, slightly transparent, anhydrous, and unalterable in the air. It 

 is insoluble in alcohol and ether, and is slightly soluble in cold, but 

 very easily in boiling water. It combines readily with acids, and 



