245 
sulphuric acid and alcohol , &c. 
making an excess over the 5 grains employed of 939 of a 
grain. If this excess be oxygen furnished to hydrogen to 
form part of the water obtained, and such a view is confirmed 
by the loss of weight of the tube and its contents after the 
operation, it will give of hydrogen 0,1174 of a grain, and 
of water so formed 1,05 grains; this deducted from the 
whole quantity of water obtained, leaves o ,35 of a grain 
water of crystallization ; 100 grains would therefore be 
composed of Potash - 28,84 
Sulphuric acid 48,84 
Carbon - 13,98 
Hydrogen - 2,34 
Water - 7. 
These numbers indicate nearly one proportional of potash, 
two of sulphuric acid, four of carbon and four of hydrogen ; 
and it would appear that in these salts the four proportionals 
of carbon, with the four of hydrogen, are saturating one of 
sulphuric acid. I am not able at present to account for the 
difference between the quantity of water and a proportional 
number, every precaution having been taken in these ex- 
periments to insure accuracy. Several attempts were made 
to procure an anhydrous salt, but without success, in conse- 
quence of the facility with which these acids and other com- 
pounds decompose. 
The resemblance of these salts to the sulphovinates, in- 
duced me to suppose they might be similar in composition, 
I therefore prepared some sulphovinate of potash. Its cry- 
stalline form was the same as that of the salt obtained from 
oil of wine, and upon examination it proved in all respects 
similar. 
mdcccxxvi. K k 
