38g Trench National Institute. 



all the combinations formed with it. The theory of the 

 flitric ether was less perfect. What was mistaken for this 

 article in the shops was not even a tru« ether. The nitric 

 acid is formed, as we know, of azot and oxygen; alcohol, of 

 carbon, hydrogren and oxygen, Tlius, there are only four 

 elementary substances in the two liquOrs, and there are 

 formed, by bringing them together, ten combinations suscep- 

 tible of bemg separated : viz. a great deal of water, of oxi- 

 ^dated azolic gas, of ether, a little oxidulated azotic gas, ni- 

 trous gas, carbonic acid gas, acetic acid, and a substance 

 which is easily charred. One portion of these substances 

 remains in the first vessel, where the mixture takes place; 

 afiother passes into the receiver by distillation, and there 

 takes the liquid form ; a third remains gaseous. 



It is this last portion which is almost wholly ether ; and 

 in order to obtain it separately, we must pass the gas through 

 a course of flasks submitted to great cold. The ether is se- 

 parated in the form of a yellowish liquid, which we must, 

 by m^ans of lime, still deprive of the nitrous and acetous 

 acid it contains. 



M. Thenard concludes, from his experiments, that in 

 these operations the oxygen of the acid is combined with a 

 great deal of hydrogen, alcohol, and little of its carbon : 

 from this result plenty of water, gaseous oxide of azot, a 

 small quantity of nitrous acid and nitrous gas, and but 

 little free azot ; that the other is formed from the union of 

 the two principles of nitric acid with de-hydrogenated and 

 slightly de-carbonised alcohol; and that the residues of car- 

 bon, hydrogen, and oxygen, furnish the acetous acid and the 

 charry matter. 



It may be easily conceived how difficult it must be thus to 

 seize, in ihcir minutest details, actions so fugitive, and to 

 separate combinations so various, and so easy to be altered, 

 and reciprocally converted into each other. AVe regret that 

 our limits prevent us from giving an idea of the ingenious 

 and delicate processes resorted to by M. Thenard. 



We may remember the theory peculiar to count Rum- 

 ford, as to the cause of beat, which he attributes to certain 



vibrations 



