€6 On a peculiar Property in Camphorated IVdter, 



acid, or as it exists in the acetite of potash well melted. 

 About 1 20 grammes only of acetic ether were formed, how- 

 ever, although no gas was liberated ; and the operation when, 

 terminated presented a loss of seveii grammes only : from 

 this M. Thenafd is led to think that a portion of the oxygen 

 of the acetic acid is combined with a portion of the hydro- 

 gen of the alcohol, while the other principles of the acid and 

 those of the alcohol unite to constitute ether. Otherwise, if 

 no water w.^s formed, it would be necessary, in order to ac- 

 <;ount for this operation, to admit that the best rectified al- 

 cohol contains nearly one-fifth of its weight of water, which 

 is scarcely probable. This ether has a pleasant smell of 

 ether and acetic acid, and yet it neither reddens turnsole 

 tincture nor turnsole paper; it has a taste peculiar to itself, 

 and very different from that of alcohol. Neither its specific 

 gravity nor its tenuity, has been as yet exactly taken ; all 

 we know is, that it is lighter than water, as it floats above it, 

 and more turbid than alcohol. Water seems to dissolve 

 more of it than of the sulphuric ether. It burns with a yel- 

 lowish white flame, producing an acid, which is probably the 

 acetic. FinaUy, in a sealed flask, it does not seem to alter 

 upon standing for a length of time ; at least M. Thenard 

 had a six months experience on this point, 



XIV. Upon a peculiar Vroperty in Camphorated Water. 

 By M. Cadet*. 



JL HREE years ago a surgeon in Madrid announced that the 

 carbonic acid favoured the solution of camphor in water, 

 and that the water had very remarkable medicinal properties 

 In diseases of the bladder. Leaving it to physicians to 

 judge of this matter, I was merely desirous of ascertaining 

 the chemical fact. I made a solution of camphor in distilled 

 water, and another in water saturated with carbonic acid 

 by Mr. Paul's method, in order to estimate the quantity of 

 camphor dissolved. I weighed the camphor before and after 

 the solution, and I found that the distilled water had ab- 

 sorbed 1 6 grains of it per pint, and the carbonic acid only 



* 'StomAmtt'di Chimict torn, Ixil. p. 132, 



' ' 15 grains. 



