92 



Water pre- 

 sumed to be 

 formed. 



ON OXALIC ACID. 



ftcicl. This being admitted, it follows, that the carbon 

 of the carbonic acid, and the whole constituents of the 

 oxalic acid, were furnished by the sugar. These are as 

 follows : 



Grains. 

 Carbon 2.7*5 



Oxigen in 45 grains oxalic acid 28*8 



Hidrogen in ditto ••••...*.......... i -3 



58-1 

 If this total be substracted from the 100 grains of sugar 

 used, there will be a remainder of 41*9 grains. As this 

 quantity of the sugar has disappeared, and is no whe e to 

 be found among the products, we must suppose, that it has 

 assumed the form of water. Now 41*9 grains of water are 

 (Composed of 



Oxigen 35*9 



Hidrogen 6 



Component 

 parts of sugar. 



This cannot be 



r.'i-d Oil. im. 

 J>licitl7, 



but corro' ora- 



tcu ' . , ^i 



$ier's iiuuijiis. 



41-9 

 Adding these quantities to the preceding products, we ob« 

 tain the composition of sugar, as follows: 



Oxigen • • 64*7 



Carbon 27*5 



Hidrogen.......... 7*8 



100-0 

 Though the process of reasoning, which led to this analy- 

 sis of sugar, is too hypothetical to be trusted implicitly, yet 

 I am persuaded, that it is to a certain degree correct, and 

 that the result obtained does not deviate very far from the 

 ti ath. If we compare Lavoisier's statement of the compo- 

 sition of sugar obtained in a different manner, though by 

 a mode of reasoning not less hypothetical, we shall be 

 surprised at its near coincidence with mine. His numbers 

 are 



Oxigen 64 



Carbon 28 



Hidrogen .••..#..... 8 



100 



It 



