en the Acetic and Acetous Acids. %J 



Examination fhOwed that none exifted. This experiment 

 with that above defcribed feems evidently to prove that 

 acetous acid is not more carbonized than acetic acid ; for it 

 is certain that, if it contained more, the excels above that 

 neceffary to conftitute the acetic acid produced would have re- 

 mained in the refiduum. 



However conclufive my experiments might be in my own 

 opinion, I ought not to lofe light of that of Chaptal, fince it 

 is defcribed in the obfervations I have quoted. Having di- 

 ftilled then, with a proper apparatus, 576 parts cryttallized 

 acetite of copper, there paffed over into the receiver a white 

 liquor, which was coloured by the progrefs of the diftillation, 

 and which became green by the copper: this liquid was 

 acetic acid. Before the diftillation there were difengaged 

 65 inches of a gafeous fluid, which, when examined, was 

 found to be a mixture of carbonic acid gas and hydrogen gas : 

 the refiduum, of a blackifh brown colour, being treated with 

 muriatic acid, the latter diflblved the oxide of copper, and 

 left a powder (lightly black, which was collected on a filter: 

 this black matter, when edulcorated, dried, and then fub- 

 jected to chemical examination, was found to be charcoal^ 

 the weight of which was 1% parts. As this refult was per- 

 fectly (imilar to that defcribed by the chemifts, it was necef- 

 fary to examine whether the confequences they deduced from 

 it were very exact ; for it may be afked, why the acetous 

 acid was decarbonized under thefe circum Ranees alone, and 

 not in that of which I here give an account. Prefuming that 

 ) (hould find a folution of this queftion by means of compa- 

 rative experiments, I made the following: 



I prepared acetate of copper by diffblving oxide of copper 

 in acetic acid diluted with water, and by proper evaporation 

 I obtained a fait cryftallized in octaedra. Of this fait, when 

 dried to the fame degree as the acetite of copper, I introduced 

 576 parts in a retort, and expofed it to heat : it exhibited ex- 

 actly the fame phenomena as the acetite. I obtained nearly 

 equal quantities of hydrogen gas and carbonic acid. The 

 liquid, when collected in the receiver, had the fame colour; 

 when examined comparatively with that produced by the 

 acetite, it was impoffible to find any difference between them. 

 The refiduum, of a blackifh brown colour, was treated with 

 muriatic acid, which diflblved the oxide of copper, and left a 

 black matter, which floated on the liquid. This matter, fe- 

 parated by means of the filter, and dried on a ftove, being 

 fubjected to analyfis, was found to be charcoal perfectly 

 Similar to that of the preceding experiment-? it had abfo- 



Vol.XIII. No. 49. B lately 



