70 Daniell on the Nature of the Products 



deavoured in various ways to separate the acetic acid, formed 

 during the slow combustion of sulphuric ether, from the substance 

 with which it appeared to be combined, so as to produce the 

 latter in an isolated state, but without success. It appeared 

 to undergo such rapid decomposition when exposed to but a 

 moderate heat, that, combined at the same time with the speedy 

 decomposition of most of the acetates, I could not effect my 

 purpose. The salts which I obtained in a crystallized form 

 held this substance in combination with them, so that their so- 

 lution produced the same effects as the acid of which they were 

 composed. It is owing to this circumstance that most of the 

 salts, as I described in my former paper, burned with flame, 

 and afterwards glowed like a live coal, and the results of the 

 analysis which I made of the acid by means of the salt of 

 barytes and chlorate of potash are explained, and the source of 

 the excess of hydrogen clearly demonstrated. Thus the very 

 same causes seemed to fix distinctive characters upon the lampic 

 acid as contributed so long to separate the pyroligneous, the 

 formic, and other modifications of the acetic acid. 



Notwithstanding the failure of my endeavours to separate the 

 substance of which I was in search, from its combinations I 

 am enabled to throw considerable light upon its nature and 

 formation by the discovery of an analogous compound, which is 

 easily obtained in an isolated form. This compound is pro- 

 duced by the slow combustion of nitric ether. 



Exp. 10. — When nitric ether is substituted for sulphuric in 

 the aphlogistic lamp, the platinum wire glows as readily, but 

 the fumes of the former are of a denser nature than those of the 

 latter. They possess a more suffocating and more disagreeable 

 smell, and are more inflammable, so that greater caution is 

 requisite in adjusting the wire to prevent their breaking out into 

 flame. After the process has been carried on a short time with 

 the apparatus described in my former paper, an incrustation 

 may be observed forming about the wire, a considerable quantity 

 of liquid is condensed in the receiver ; and by continuing the 

 process, around the mouth, and upon the top of the alembic-head, 



