On the Muriatic Ether, 103 



sibly by bringing together the acid and the alcohol in va^ 

 pours into a tube about the temperature of about SO*'. It is 

 therefore by preserving a just medium in the application of 

 the fire that we succeed completely. All this proceeds from 

 too small or too great an elasticity in the alcohol, and the 

 muriatic acid prevents their reaction upon each other. 

 One precaution we must also take, is to use the same water 

 for collecting the gas, and to employ the least quantity P9S7 

 sible, because itdissolves it in a remarkable degree. 



This gas is absolutely colourless ; the smell of. it is strongly' 

 etherized, and the taste sensibly saccharine. It has no kind 

 of action either upon turnsole tincture, syrup of violets, or 

 lime-water. lis specific gravity compaKcd to that of air is 

 2*219 to -f is" of the centigrade thermometer, and; at 

 O™ 75 of pressure at the same temperature, and at the same 

 pressure water dissolves its own volume of it. At this same 

 ilegrce of pressure also, but at + 11° of teinperature, the 

 etherized gas becomes liquid. We may procure a great 

 quantity of it in this state, by using an apparatus similar to 

 that we b^ve just described ; simply, in place of fixing the 

 last tube under a flask full of water, we must plunge it to 

 the bottom of a lopg, straight, well dried probe, and sur- 

 rounded with ice, which we must renew in proportior]^.a$ it 

 melts. It is in this probe that the etherized gas alone 

 arrives and is entirely liquefied ; for, when once the vessels 

 co«itain no more air, we niay wiihout the least danger spp- 

 press its communicaiion with the atmosphere. ..;?, 



Wlibn thus Tujucfied, this ether is of acjemarkable limpi- 

 dity, as in the state of gas it is without colour and with- 

 out action upon turnsole tincture and syrup of violets; as 

 well as the etherized gas, it is very soluble in alcohol^ 

 from which we may in a great measure pep^rate it by water-; 

 like this gas, it has also a very decided smell, and a very 

 distinct taste, wliich has something analogous to that of 

 sugar, and which is particularly remarkable in vv'ater which 

 is saturated with it, which may perhaps be employed sug* 

 cessfully in medicine. When poured upon the hand, it 

 suddenly evaporates and produces a considerable cold, leav- 

 jng a small whitish residue. At -f- 5" of temperature (cenii- 



Cj 4 grade 



