Chemical Science. 369 



Page 194. " that the sour spirit of box not only would, 



as I just now related, dissolve corals, which the other * would 

 not fasten on, but being; poured upon salt of tartar, would 

 immediately boil and hiss, whereas the other v.'ould lie quietly 

 upon it. The acid spirit poured upon minium made a sugar of 

 lead, which I did not find the other to do." 



Page 195. " I found, according to my expectation, that 



the acid spirit had really dissolved the corals, and had coagu- 

 lated with them. For, by the affusion of fair water, I obtained 

 a solution which (to note that singularity upon the bye) was 

 red ; whence the water, being evaporated, there remained a 

 soluble substance, much like the ordinary salt of coral, as 

 chymists are pleased to call that magistery of corals, which 

 they make by dissolving them in common spirit of vinager." 



And, in page 192, the " soure spirit" obtained from the distil- 

 lation of box is expressly called " vinager." 



By inserting the above account in the Journal of Science, you 

 will oblige, Sir, your humble servant, E. T. J. 



Bristol, IGthNov. 1819, 



4. Preparation of Nitric Ether, by M. Bouillon Lagrange. — 

 After having made a mixture of equal parts of nitric acid at 

 36°(S.G. 1.333) and alcohol, at 40° (S.G. .817), it is to be intro- 

 duced into a matrass. 



Then copper turnings are to be put into a flask, to which an 

 S tube is to be connected, by which nitric acid may be poured 

 on them, and another tube also to convey the nitrous gas into 

 the mixture of acid and alcohol. A Woolfe's apparatus is to 

 be connected with this flask, the bottles being half filled with 

 a solution of muriate of soda, and placed in a cooling mix- 

 ture. The joints being luted, I pour nitric acid in small por- 

 tions on the copper turnings. The gas disengaged is absorbed 

 only in part by the alcohol, and part passes into the vessels at 

 the extremity of the apparatus. The mixture heats gradually, 

 and, at the end of an hour and a half, it begins to boil. The 



* The aqtioous and oily part procured by distjltation, after saturatinu' 

 the acid with curat. 



