THEORY OF THE AMIDETS. 
47 
plays the positive and the nitruret of hydrogen which per- 
forms the negative part in the compound. 
We may then admit, as almost an expression of fact, the 
principles from which are derived the explanation of the cha- 
racters of oxamide and urea. But the attentive examination 
of these characters will lead to a more elevated view, which 
gives to the theory of the amidets a very great amount of 
interest. 
Admit, for a moment, that ammonia, by reason of its hy- 
drogenous nature, may act as a hydrobase, in the same manner 
as of an acid in the hydracids, and that it may loose the whole 
or part of its hydrogen by forming water, it then becomes 
easy to conceive how, by the action of heat, the oxalate of 
ammonia is changed into oxamide; this reaction bearing a 
strong resemblance to that by which is explained the con- 
version of a hydrochlorate into a chloride. In fact we have — 
C 2 3 + NH 3 = C 2 2 + NH 2 + HO. 
It is likewise easy to comprehend the reproduction of oxa- 
late of ammonia, or of oxalic acid and ammonia from oxamide, 
when examined from the same point of view. For under the 
influence of water only, with an elevated temperature, oxa- 
mide is converted into oxalate of ammonia. 
The acids determine the formation of ammonia and set 
oxalic acid free. 
The bases produce the same reaction, with a disengage- 
ment of ammonia. 
Thus, oxamide acts as a chloride, which, containing neither 
acid or metallic base, nevertheless gives rise to hydrochloric 
acid and an oxide under similar influences. 
It therefore appears rational to consider oxamide as a body 
analogous to the chlorides in which the oxide of carbon plays 
the part of a metal, and the nitruret of hydrogen the part of 
chlorine. By calling this nitruret of hydrogen by the name 
of amide, we will have under this view — 
Amidet of oxide of carbon, or oxamide, =C 2 2 -f-NH 2 . 
Bi-amidet of oxide of carbon, or urea, = C 2 2 + N 2 H 4 . 
