136 
ON BINOXALATE OF AMMONIA. 
ide and acid, and there condenses in the receiver a notable 
quantity of formic acid, and a small proportion of very white 
oxamide. But if on the cessation of the disengagement of 
gas, the action of the heat be continued, new phenomena are 
observed. There is formed, besides other products, a yellow 
matter of bitter taste, hydrocyanate and carbonate of ammonia 
are disengaged, and the liquid which condenses in the beak, 
effervesces on falling into the acid liquor of the receiver. 
At this point the operation should be finished. 
The solid matter remaining in the retort is a light and por- 
ous mass, but slightly colored yellow, if the heat has been 
properly managed, and from which cold water separates the 
insoluble oxamide and a soluble matter, with peculiar proper- 
ties. In fact the aqueous solution is acid ; neutralised by am- 
monia, it does not trouble the salts of lime, or even of baryta 
when dilute, but produces in their solutions, when strong, a 
crystalline precipitate, soluble in boiling water. This lets 
foil, on cooling, very distinct crystals, which may be obtained 
colorless by means of animal charcoal, and which contain in 
the state of salt a new acid, which the author denominates ox- 
amic acid. 
The oxamate of baryta disengages ammonia, when treated 
by the alkalies, and is changed into an oxalate of the alkali. 
Subjected to concentrated sulphuric acid, it furnishes equal 
volumes of carbonic oxide and acid, and the colorless acid 
which is left behind contains ammonia in combination. 
This double mode of decomposition shows that oxaniic acid 
is susceptible, like oxamide, of change in the presence of the 
elements of water, into oxalic acid, or products which repre- 
sent it. The oxamate of baryta loses all its water of crys- 
tallization, when exposed to a current of air heated to 150° C. 
One gramme of this salt loses thus 0.1545 of water, and gives 
on analysis 0.636 of sulphate of baryta, 0.364 of carbonic acid, 
0.279, and67 e - e -of nitrogen, at the temperature of 14° C., 
and the pressure of 0.755. 
