Messrs. Clark Hare and M. H. Boye on Perchloric JEther. 371 



tached to a bar traversing on a pivot, and supporting an 

 Argand spirit-lamp, by which heat is communicated to the 

 oil-bath, so as to enable the flame of the lamp to be removed 

 from or applied to the apparatus, according to the indications 

 of the thermometer, without exposing the person of the ope- 

 rator. After the heat has reached 212° Fahr., below which 

 the salts employed do not react on each other, it should be 

 raised very gradually, and the distillation finished below 340° 

 Fahr. Under these circumstances but little danger is to be 

 apprehended from the retort ; but the aether in the receiver 

 must be treated with the greatest caution, since it has ex- 

 ploded in our hands in attempting to remove it with a pipette 

 from the stratum of water which covers it. This water, there- 

 fore, should be removed by the cautious use of strips of blot- 

 ting-paper, moistened at the end, and introduced into the tube 

 employed as a receiver. 



To avoid the danger attendant on the management of the 

 aether in its pure state, it may be received in strong alcohol, 

 since it is not explosive when dissolved in alcohol. If the ex- 

 periment be performed with seventy grains of sulphate of 

 barytes, from one to two drachms of absolute alcohol will be 

 found sufficient for this purpose. By the addition of an equal 

 volume of water, the aether may subsequently be separated 

 from the solution in small quantities for the purpose of ex- 

 amination ; but in this case a loss of aether is sustained by 

 the decomposing influence of the water employed. 



The perchlorate of aethule obtained in this way is a trans- 

 parent, colourless liquid, possessing a peculiar, though agree- 

 able smell, and a very sweet taste, which, on subsiding, leaves 

 a biting impression on the tongue resembling that of the oil of 

 cinnamon. Itls heavier than water, through which it rapidly 

 sinks. It explodes by ignition, friction, or percussion, and 

 sometimes without any assignable cause. Its explosive pro- 

 perties may be shown, with but little danger, by pouring a 

 small portion of the alcoholic solution into a small porcelain 

 capsule, and adding an equal volume of water. The aether 

 will collect in a drop at the bottom, and may be subsequently 

 separated by pouring off the greater part of the water, and 

 throwing the rest on a moistened filter, supported by a wire. 

 After the water has drained off, the drop of aether remaining 

 at the bottom of the filter may be exploded either by approach- 

 ing it to an ignited body, or by the blow of a hammer. We 

 are induced to believe, that in explosive violence it is not sur- 

 passed by any substance known in chemistry. By the ex- 

 plosion of the smallest drop, an open porcelain plate will be 

 broken into fragments, and by that of a larger quantity, be 



2B2 



