358 Mr. Hennell on the mutual Action 



grains, while 440 grains of sulphuric acid not mixed with al- 

 cohol saturated 555 grains of the same carbonate of soda, so 

 that 2-7ths of the acid had been saturated by the alcohol. 



440 grains of sulphuric acid mixed with its own weight of 

 alcohol, as before, and then poured into a solution of acetate 

 of lead, 542 grains of sulphate were precipitated. The same 

 quantity of sulphuric acid unchanged by alcohol gave 1313 

 grains of sulphate of lead ; thus 4-7ths of the sulphuric acid 

 had lost its power of precipitating oxide of lead from its solu- 

 tions ; it had in fact been converted into sulphovinic acid. 



M. Vogel, who has particularly described some of these 

 salts, and I believe also M. Gay-Lussac, have supposed that 

 this loss of saturating power arises from the formation of hy- 

 posulphuric acid, and that the hyposulphates, and sulphovi- 

 nates, only differ in the latter containing some aethereal oil, 

 which in some way acts the part of water of crystallization. 

 It is evident that the properties of oil of wine cannot be thus 

 explained j and it appears to me more probable that the power 

 of combination which hydrocarbon is shown to be possessed 

 of in oil of wine, is effective in neutralizing half the acid of the 

 salts formed from it, as before described. 



It only now remains to examine the hydrocarbon in the 

 states in which it has been obtained separate from its combi- 

 nations. 



When oil of wine is heated in a solution of potash, or if 

 heated in water merely, the excess of hydrocarbon above that 

 necessary to constitute the acid, forming the salts I have de- 

 scribed, is liberated hi the form of an oil, not unlike in ap- 

 pearance castor oil, having but little fluidity when cold, and 

 in some cases partially crystallizing. When gently heated it 

 is beautifully bright, and of an amber colour ; the vapour has 

 an agreeable pungent and aromatic smell ; it evaporates at a 

 temperature a little above that of boiling water ; burns with 

 a brilliant flame, throwing off some carbon ; its specific gravity 

 is about 9, water being 10; it is insoluble in water, very so- 

 luble in aether, somewhat less so in alcohol. 



Several analytical experiments were made upon this sub- 

 stance with similar results. When decomposed by oxide of 

 copper, 0*72 of a grain gave 4*85 cubic inches of carbonic 

 acid gas and "85 of a grain of water; 4*85 cubic inches of 

 carbonic acid gas are equal to 0*6164 of a grain of carbon, 

 and the 0'85 of a grain of water to 0*09444 of a grain of hy- 

 drogen ; 100 parts should therefore be composed of 

 Carbon .... 85*61 

 Hydrogen . . . 13*116. 

 There is here some trifling loss ; if tliat be supposed to be 



hydrogen, 



