*V PREPARATION OF RADICAL VINEGAR. 



for preparing this acid effects nothing more than to abftract this 

 excels of carbon ; and I have completed my proofs, by pre-r 

 paring this acid myfelf, by a means which every one knows 

 can have no other effect than to abftract carbon from the fub-r 

 fiances to which it is applied. 

 Simple procefc I diftilled a kilogramme of fulphuric acid with two kilo- 

 One^aruff fill- £ rammes °f g ooc * white vinegar.- I fuddenly brought the mix- 

 phuric and two t ure *° ebullition, and obtained a very large quantity of radical 

 of vinegar are vinegar, as white and pungent as that of commerce. This 

 procefs is fo fimple and economical, that I thought it would 

 be ufeful to extract it from the Memoirs which I have given 

 upon this branch of chemiftry, and offer it to manufacturers. 

 I can affure them, that it will diminifh the expences of the 

 manufacture by three fourths. In fact, the fulphuric acid which 

 remains may ftill ferve for two. more operations : but then it 

 will be neceffary to rectify the radical vinegar, for it will be 

 Manganefe pro- found impregnated with fulphurous acid gas. It would be 

 proper to try whether the action of manganefe, which is ufed 

 for ether, might not be applied to this rectification. I do not 

 apprehend that this metal, in fo high a degree of oxidation, is 

 fufceptible of being attacked by the acetic acid. 

 Erroneous notion An erroneous opinion obtains, with refpect to. the tendency 

 attractions of C °^ * ms ac *^ *° combination, which X think it, incumbent upon 

 acetic acid. me to refute. Chemifts place it, in their tables of attractions, 



in a much higher rank than it wilt be found entitled to, upon 

 an inveftigation of its properties with the lead degree of accu- 

 racy. We find that it difplaces only the carbonic, acetous and 

 other weak acids. This error has arifen from the appearance 

 of ftrength which it derives from the pungency of its fmell. 

 In this.inftance, however, the chemical properties of the fub- 

 flance are by no means proportionate to the impreflion it makes 

 Its fumes are upon our fenfes. I mall add an obfervation which proves that 

 fcarcely acid,&c. this acid is much lefs powerful than is generally imagined ; 

 namely, that the vapour which it fpontaneoufly emits, and 

 which might feem to be its molt acid portion, fcarcely reddens 

 paper tinged with tincture of tournefol. In fact it is nothing 

 more than a modification of hidrogen, and it takes fire like 

 ' ether. 



An 



