A56 Memoir on Sulphuric Ether. 
ternary compound of the three elements. 
These facts are beautifully exhibited by a 
single experiment. Let equal volumes of 
pure ether and water be agitated together ; 
on subsiding, the very heavy and very light 
fluids are immediately perceived; let then 
pure alcohol: be added by degrees and agi- 
tated; it will be observed that both fluids 
have increased in volume upon each addition, 
till at length the upper fluid arrives at its 
maximum volume and specific gravity. A 
further addition of alcohol then diminishes 
the volume of ether till at length it disap- 
pears, and the whole becomes one uniform 
fluid. ! 
The boiling point of ether I find forms a 
curious part of its history. I mean that 
point of temperature when its vapour is of 
sufficient force to balance the weight of the 
atmosphere. In my early experiments I 
found the point by immersing a thermometer 
in the boiling fluid, when it stood at 102°; 
but in subsequent experiments I used a baro- 
meter tube bent about + from the sealed end 
and the legs laid parallel. A small portion of 
ether was let up to the sealed end, and the 
tube from thence to a little past the turn was 
filled with mercury. The instrument thus 
prepared was immersed in a tall jar of warm 
