PROCEEDINGS 
OF 
THE ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY, 
1836—1837. No. 1. 
October 24, 1836. 
Rev. B. LLOYD, D.D., Provost, T. C. D., President, 
in the Chair. 
Rev. Edward Marks, Frederick Darley, Esq., Rev. John 
A. Bolster, and Rev. James 8S, Reid, D.D., were elected 
Members of the Academy. 
A paper was read, entitled “ Contributions to the History 
of Pyroxylic Spirit, and the derived Combinations.” By 
Robert J. Kane, M.D. M.R.I.A., Professor of Natural 
Philosophy in the Royal Dublin Society. 
In this paper Professor Kane stated that he had re- 
peated the analysis of pyroxylic spirit and of methylic ether, 
and found the composition given by Dumas for these bodies 
to be perfectly correct. He likewise re-examined the py- 
roxylic spirit, described and analysed by Liebig, having been 
presented with a specimen of the original spirit for that pur- 
pose by Professor Liebig. The result of his experiments is, 
that the pyroxylic spirit of Liebig is quite distinct from that 
of Dumas; and that both of these chemists were right in 
the analyses which they published. 
By treating the pyroxylic spirit of Dumas (methylie alco- 
hol) with peroxide of manganese and sulphuric acid, there is 
obtained a light colourless liquor boiling at 103° Fahrenheit. 
B 
