382 HEINBICH ROSE OX .ETIIERIFICATION. 



therefore, in the mixture prepared for the distillation of aether, 

 even at the boihng-point of water, at least when this is long 

 continued ; but even then the formation of this body at that 

 temperature is quite trifling in amount. 



When fBther is distilled fi'om a mixture of sulphuric acid and 

 alcohol in the water-bath, we obtain, as is evident from the 

 above results, less asther than we might expect from the quan- 

 tity of alcohol employed, and the residue weighs more in pro- 

 portion. In the last series of experiments described, in which 

 Eether was prepared in the water-bath, the residuum, on em- 

 ploying 17 ounces of absolute alcohol and 18 ounces of sulphu- 

 ric acid, weighed 27 ounces, and the distilled alcoholic aether 

 4i ounces ; the loss consisted partly in the water distilled, the 

 quantity of which was not determined, in volatiUzed aether, 

 which in this case volatilized the more, as it was nearly pure, 

 and also in the loss which occurs by pouring out. On employ- 

 ing 1 pound of hydrated alcohol and 1 pound of sulphuric 

 acid, the residuum weighed 26^ ounces, the products 4 ounces 

 and some drachms ; the loss consisted partly in the water which 

 passed over, the quantity of which was not accurately deter- 

 mined. In both cases therefore, besides water, aether also re- 

 mained with the sulphuric acid, undoubtedly as isaethionic acid, 

 probably also in part as fethionic acid. It is very probable that 

 the products which present themselves with aether in a distilla- 

 tion when long continued and at high temperature, are produced, 

 not by the direct decomposition of the ffither, but by the de- 

 composition of the isaethionic acid, occasioned by the excess of 

 sulphuric acid and a high temperature ; such as the precipitated 

 carbonaceous substance, the sulphurous acid, oil of wine, and 

 lastly, the olefiant gas. 



It is well known that the formation of these products is 

 generally avoided in the preparation of aether by the new and 

 most profitable method, in which, as aether passes over, a like 

 quantity of alcohol is allowed to flow into the boiling mixture. 

 The action of an excess of sulphuric acid on the alcohol, or 

 rather on the isaethionic acid, at a high temperature, is thus 

 prevented. 



When formerly the production of aether was sought to be ex- 

 plained by the subtraction of the water from it, by means of 

 sulphuric acid, it might with much justice be objected to the 

 present explanation, that other bodies, which have, like sulphu- 



