ON ACETIC ACID AND ACETATES. 353 



a strong smell of sulphurous acid. A large quantity of 

 coal remained in the retort. The first mixture, as well 

 as the residuum of the distillation, was blacker, and the 

 coal more abundant, then when alcohol is treated in the 

 same manner. 



Two measures of the same pyroacetic spirit, and one nitric acid, 

 measure of concentrated nitric acid, assumed a very bright 

 and fine yellow colour, like a solution of gold, but grew 

 darker in the course of a fortnight. I afterward distilled 

 this mixture. At the bottom of tlie liquor was formed a 

 drop of yellow oil, having the appearance of phosphorus 

 melted in water. Nitrous gas was evolved, and this drop 

 disappeared. A liquid passed over, that had a strong 

 smell of nitric acid. This product I saturated with potash, 

 and the spirituous liquor I separated by distillation. It had 

 peculiar characters, which the smallness of its quantity did 

 not allow me to examine minutely. In the residuum I found 

 nitrate and acetate of potash. Oxalic acid may be obtained 

 from the carbonaceous matter, that remains in the retort 

 after the first distillation of pyroacetic spirit with nitric 

 acid. 



I distilled one measure of pyroacetic spirit with two of muriatic acUf, 

 fuming muriatic acid. The liquor in the retort became 

 brown ; and, as it passed over, it was wholly condensed in 

 the receiver. It had a strong smell of muriatic acid, and 

 reddened blue vegetable colours. I redistilled it from car- 

 bonate of potash ; when it acquired a strong smell of 

 turpentine, and a sharp and oily taste. It was far less 

 volatile than muriatic ether. Potash discovered no mu- 

 riatic acid in it; but when burned on a solution of nitrate 

 of silver, a very copious precipitation of muriate of silver 

 was produced. 



To form this combination in a more advantageous man- 

 ner, 1 passed a stream of muriatic acid gas through pyro- and muriatia 

 acetic spirit for a considerable time. It became very brown. acld 5as * 

 I distilled it from carbonate of potash, and two fluids passed 

 over ; x one perfectly clear and colourless ; the other lighter, 

 with a tinge of yellow. The smell of the latter resembled 

 that of pyroacetic spirit, but it was more fragrant. It had 

 a hotter and more oily taste. It mixes but in very small 



You XXVI. — Supplement. A a quantity 



