210 Notice of some Recent [March 



and therefore may be considered as formed of 



Ether ... 1 atom. 



Oxygen. . . 1 „ 

 Formation of Ether, (Poggendorff, xxxi. 273.) — Mitscher- 

 lich, in carefully investigating the formation of ether, has 

 observed that sulphuric acid, by its affinity for water, pro- 

 duces the compound of one volume of hydrogen gas, and 

 one half volume of oxygen gas, forming water* It appears 

 also that water passes over with the ether, and that the 

 sulphuric acid has previously combined with the water. 

 Alcohol will not be converted into ether when treated with 

 other substances which have a greater affinity for water 

 than dilute sulphuric acid. If a concentrated solution of 

 the acid is heated with alcohol to the temperature of 140°, 

 (252° F.) the point at which ether is formed, no trace of 

 ether can be detected in the liquid which passes over. 

 Ether is formed in the production of sulphovinic acid, by 

 the action of sulphuric acid on alcohol. When sulpho- 

 vinate of potash is mixed with lime at a temperature above 

 200°, (392° F.) sulphuric acid, salts, and alcohol are formed, 

 with some oil of wine. Similar decompositions and combi- 

 nations occur on the contact of numerous substances, as the 

 conversion of a species of sugar into alcohol and carbonic 

 acid ; the oxidation of alcohol when it is converted into 

 acetic acid ; the conversion of starch into sugar, by boiling 

 it with sulphuric acid. When combinations of ether with 

 acids, as acetic ether, are treated with caustic potash, 

 acetate of potash and alcohol are the products. 



Creosote. — Hubschmann has simplified the process for 

 preparing this substance, which at first promised to be of so 

 much importance both as a medicine and antiseptic. (Ann. 

 de Chim. lvii. 105.) He distils tar oil as it is afforded in 

 the process for obtaining pyroligneous acid, in a large retort 

 with a small portion of sand, in order to increase the num- 

 ber of bubbles which are formed during ebullition, and thus 

 diminish its violence. What comes over at first, consisting 

 of eupion, acetic acid, &c, is laid aside, but whenever a 

 liquid begins to appear which falls drop by drop into the 

 receiver, the latter is to be changed, and the distillation 

 continued until the mass becomes foamy. The product 

 of the distillation is then poured into a vessel with about 



