1 52 American Philosophical Society. 



given out by the flame of the hydro-oxygen blowpipe, or by the ele- 

 ments of water during their conversion into steam. 



The unexpected electrical results, previously ascertained respect- 

 ing high steam*, naturally gave importance to this inquiry, the re- 

 sult of which he had no previous opportunity of communicating to 

 the Society. 



Even the flame produced by means of a very powerful hydro- 

 oxygen blowpipe was not found to be productive of electrical indica- 

 tion, when allowed to act upon a metallic mass supported upon the 

 canopy of an extremely delicate electroscope. As it was suggested 

 that, the flame being a conductor, the electricity evolved might retro- 

 cede by it to the metallic pipe, the experiment was modified in the 

 following way: — 



The mixture of one part of oxygen and two of hydrogen being, as 

 in the first instance, condensed within a mercury bottle, was made, by 

 means of a valve cock and safety tube, to communicate, through a 

 glass tube, with a jet pipe of platinum, a foot in length and in bore. 



The apparatus being thus arranged, and the cock so adjusted as 

 to allow the gaseous mixture to escape through the jet pipe with 

 sufficient celerity, a flame of hydrogen was applied to the outside of 

 this pipe about the middle. By these means, the temperature being 

 raised so as to cause the elements of water to combine, the flame was 

 removed, the heat being sufficiently kept up by the internal com- 

 bustion. Thus that which entered at one end of the tube as gas, 

 came out at the other as steam. Under these circumstances, a single- 

 leaf electrometer, more susceptible than a condensing electrometer, 

 was not indicative of any electrical excitement, either in the insulated 

 jet tube, or in any body on which the steam was allowed to condense. 



Dr. J. K. Mitchell having expressed a wish to see these experi- 

 ments, they were repeated, with his assistance, with the same results. 



Dr. Hare also mentioned that he had observed an sethereal liquid 

 to subside on the addition of pure pyroxylic spirit to an aqueous 

 solution of hypochlorous acid, obtained by passing chlorine into 

 water in contact with bioxide of mercury. 



Having separated the sether thus produced, he found it to have an 

 agreeable and peculiar fragrance. Like oil of wine, it could not be 

 distilled without decomposition. There was an effervescence at the 

 temperature of 140° F. ; but the boiling point rose beyond that of a 



glass, so as to terminate within a tall phial. Both the tube and phial must 

 be surrounded by ice and water. The diluted acid is then added gradually. 

 A water-bath, blood-warm, is sufficient to cause all the aether to come over. 



Agreeably to another plan, the materials, previously refrigerated by ice, 

 are introduced into a bottle, also similarly refrigerated. Under these cir- 

 cumstances the aether soon forms a superstratum which may be separated 

 by decantation. 



This last-mentioned process does not answer so well for the hyponitrite 

 of methyl, on account of the pyroxylic spirit being prone to rise with the 

 aether ; yet the spirit may be separated from the aether by anhydrous 

 chloride of calcium. 



* [See Phil. Mag. Third Series, vol. xvii. p. 370, and various subsequent 

 papers in that volume, and in vols, xviii. xix. xx.— Edit.] 



