ON ACETIC ACID* 347 



^ 'J'he ga^s^ <on examination emitted tio ammoniacal smell, No ammonia 

 it being merely empyrcumatic and penetrating. The liquids j"-^° 

 had the same smell, and none of the chemical tests could 

 detect the presence of ammonia in them. 



The repiduums, which according to Mr. Proust contained or in the resi- 

 prussiate, were nothing but pure alkaline carbonate; or 

 pare oxide of lead. 



Mr. Proust, on examining the residuum of acetate of From the ace- 

 fVotash, says, that he had a residuum consisting in part of p^o^Jt obtatned 

 prussiate, in part of carbonate of potash. Mr. Tronmis- prussiate and 

 dorff expected to find these two salts ; but, after having ^^^^^0"^^^ 

 broken the retort, he found only a homogeneous coal, which 

 afforded him neither ammonia nor prussic acid, and which 

 had no smell of either of these substances. Yet we know 

 how easy it is to distinguish the smell of this acid wherever 

 it exists in a free state. 



Mr. Proust adds, that the residuum of the acetate of The prn'sic 

 potash was so saturated with prussic acid, that its bitterness jidu^n^ very*^ 

 was as striking as if tKe acid had been combined directly apparent. 

 with the alkali ; whence Mr. TrommsdorO' infers, that he 

 must have employed common vinegar in his experiments. 



To distinguish the products resulting from the decompo- Vapour of ace- 

 sition of acetic acid, Mr. TrommsdortF passed the vapour [J^j.^['^^,P^''j;"^'J 

 of it through a red hot tube, which afforded him nothing tube. 

 but carbonic acid gas, carburetted hidrogen gas, and a small 

 quantity of an empyrcumatic liquor, without ammonia, and 

 without prussic acid. These substances were equally ab- 

 Rent in the residuums. 



He afterwards examined attentively the ethereous acid u- Acetic ether ob- 

 lous fluids mingled with oil. These he distilled over carbo- fy'jjjg ^^^^ \l^^^' 

 nate of potash, and obtained an ethcr^ which, from all its quors. 

 properties, appeared to be true acetic ether. 



The results of his experiments are : 

 . 1. That the presence of azote in acetic acid is not proved. General con- 



2. That pure acetates, when distilled, give out neither 

 s^nmonia nor prussic acid, 



5. That pure acetic acid has its nature very little altered 

 by passing through red hot [glass] tubes. 



4. That, in an iron tube, it is completely decomposed 

 jtito carbonic acid gas, and carburetted hidrogen gas. 



5. THi^ 



