338 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



boracic acid, burnt with a perfectly green flame, and yielded abun- 

 dant white fumes of boracic acid. 



The semi-solid mass remaining in the retort was bruised and di- 

 gested during twenty-four hours in anhydrous aether, which com- 

 pletely disintegrated it ; the aethereal solution, when clear, was 

 poured into a retort placed in an oil-bath, and fitted with a conden- 

 sing apparatus. It was requisite to employ a temperature of about 

 392° Fahr. to obtain the last traces of aether and of alcohol. There 

 remained in the retort a large quantity of a viscid liquid, of a slight 

 amber colour, yielding at 392° Fahr. thick vapours in contact with 

 the air, and which became solid on cooling. 



The author considers this product as boracic aether, and it ap- 

 proximates in physical properties to boracic acid and the borates, 

 which are well-known to assume the vitreous state by fusion. It is in 

 fact a true transparent glass, but one which is rather soft at common 

 temperatures ; at about 104° Fahr. it may be drawn into fine threads. 

 It has a weak ^ethereal odour and burning taste ; when applied to 

 the skin, it occasions a strong sensation of heat, and is converted 

 into a white powder, which is hydrated boracic acid ; the same effect 

 is produced by the contact of air with the boracic aether, but when 

 the fragments are of considerable size, it takes place slowly, eventu- 

 ally however they become quite opake. When boracic aether is tri- 

 turated with water, it is very rapidly decomposed with the extrication 

 of much heat ; alcohol is reproduced and may be obtained by distil- 

 ling the aqueous liquid. 



Boracic aether is volatile, but not distillable ; at about 392° Fahr. 

 it emits thick vapours into the air; but when distillation is attempted, 

 it is decomposed, leaving a considerable residue of fused boracic 

 acid. When it is dissolved in absolute alcohol and the mixture di- 

 stilled, the alcohol volatilizes such a quantity of boracic aether, that 

 on the addition of water it becomes almost a solid mass. 



It is combustible, and burns with a white smoke and a fine green 

 flame, leaving a residue of fused boracic acid. It is soluble in aether 

 and alcohol in all proportions, and retains these fluids with great 

 affinity, for it is requisite to heat them to 392° Fahr. to remove the 

 last traces of them ; these solutions become solid masses by the ad- 

 dition of water. 



When boracic aether is heated, it first fuses, then decomposes, 

 swells, and becomes less and less liquid. There are simultaneously 

 disengaged alcohol, which retains a large quantity of boracic aether, 

 and a colourless gas which burns with a green flame before it is 

 washed in water. After having been passed through water, the gas 

 burns with a bright flame, and possesses all the properties of olefiant 

 gas. The residue of the decomposition is but unmixed anhydrous 

 boracic acid, much swelled with carbonaceous matter ; it is requisite 

 to heat it to redness for a long time to expel the inflammable gas. 



Great difficulty attends the analysis of boracic aether ; it was ef- 

 fected by converting the boracic acid, first into borate of ammonia, 

 and afterwards into anhydrous boracic acid. The mean of several 

 experiments gave — 



