Jf»6 ^ Aitiitd of Poiajh ; Ether, tsV. 



Nitrite of Potajh. 



This fait is totally (Ieliqii"fcent. It is fcparated from the fufed and ignited nitrate by means 

 of cryftallizations, which gives folidity to all the nitrate which has remaint-d unchanged. 

 Weak fulphuric or nitric acid feparate nitrous gas in abundance. Diftilled vinegar preci- 

 pitates nothing, though it occafions a flight efFervefcence. 



Expecting to feparate the nitrate from the refidue of the cryftallizations, I added fpirit of 

 wine, which threw down a faline precipitate. Lofing fight of my nitrate afterwards, I took 

 a fancy to decompofe it by an acid in the midft of the fpirit of wine. The confequence was, 

 a new faift which produced ideas of foKie importance, from what at firft promifed nothing. 



Weak fulphuric acid poured into the mixture occafioned an effervefcenco, and its produA 

 inftead of being nitrous gas, proved to be nitric ether with dlfsngaged heat. This experiment 

 certainly deferves to be repeated. 1 fet fire to the vapour, and the greenifli coloar in tfie flame 

 was fimilar to that of the ether. The/iitrous gas was probably decompofed, its o.xygen ab- 

 forbed by the alcohol, and the azote undoubtedly difllpated with the ethereal gas ; but, in 

 order to transform alcohol into nitric ether, is there any thing elfe wanting buta funple folution 

 of concrete oxygen ? The following fadls feem to prove this : 



I poured 4 oz. of fpirit of wine, well dephlegmated, into a pint bottle filled with the oxj- 

 genated muriatic gas. The gas was quietly diflfplved, and the bottle became clear. A few 

 niinutes afterwards the fpirit of wine was difcoloured, and there was a difengagement of heat 

 without the appearance of any kind of gas. At the opening of the bottle I perceived the 

 exiftence of nitric ether. 



This experiment was repeated with the fame fpirit of wine fucccffively, on clean bottles 

 of the gas. The fame phenomena were re-produced, and the ether appeared to increafe ; 

 after which I judged, by the diminution of the fmell, that it advanced to another ftate, which 

 is probably the tranfition from alcohol to the ftates of vegetable acid, among which the muria- 

 tic acid re-appeared with all its inertnefs. 



Why may it not be the fame with alcohol as with moft of the other vegetable produ<£ts, 

 which are very capible of being fuperoxided in their totality without difunion or combuftion 

 of any one of their principles .' Such are the' alterations which we obferve in the volatile 

 «i!s, fat, tallow, colouring refins, &c. all which are capable of receiving new appearances 

 by the addition oj: fpontaneous abforption or a flight dofe of oxygen, while the maximum pro- 

 duces their entire decompofition. Thefe obfervatioiis are not applicable to fulphuric ether. 



Rejfdwe ef Sulphuric Ether. 



The refidue of this ether, diftilled to the utmoft, never affords fulphur, notwithftanding' 

 ^e obfervations of a number of writers. If a fmall portion be diftilled in a large retort, ths 

 produiSl is fpirit of wine, oil, the common gafes, and water. 



After 



