On the Action of the Vegetable Acids on Alcohol. 22% 
but what is very remarkable is its syrupy state, and the 
property which it has of rendering very soluble in highly 
concentrated alcoho! the sulphate of potash, which by it- 
self is insoluble in weak alcohol. | Perhaps it is to the sul- 
phate of potash that it owes the property which it has of 
not having the oleaginous appearance of all the other coms 
binations of this kind. 
The experiments on the benzoic, oxalic, malic, citric, 
gallic and tartarous acids being finished—those on the 
acetic acid remain to be detailed. I depended the more 
on these experiments, because by varying them they throw 
much light on the true manner in which the mineral acids 
act in the formation of the new combinations under con= 
sideration. In all these experiments [ made use of alcohol 
at 800 of specific gravity (temperature 10° centigrade), and 
of acetic acid capable of crystallizing at 0. 
Experiment 1.—I distilled once only a mixture of 30 
grammes of alcohol and 20 grammes of acetic acid: it re- 
quired a great deal of heat to boil the liquor, and with great 
difficulty a few grammes of acetic ether were formed. 
Experiment 11.—I repeated the above experiment, adding 
to the mixture of alcoho] and acetic acid five grammes of 
conceutrated sulphuric acid: 19 grammes of acetic acid 
disappeared ; the ether was formed with singular facility 
and almost without heat. IT obtained 40 grammes of it. 
It follows that this process is excellent for making acetic 
ether, and far superior to that in common use; on the one 
hand because we obtain much more ether, and on the other 
because there is. no occasion for several distillations. Be- 
sides all this, the rectification of this ether is very easy: it 
is only necessary to add a little potash and to decant; for 
the acetate of potash which is formed is collected at the 
bottom of the vessel. 
We may also make an excellent ether in an ceconomical 
way, by taking three parts of acetate of potash, three parts 
of highly concentrated alcohol, and two parts of sulphurie 
aeid, also highly concentrated: introduce them into a tu- 
bulated retort, and distil the mixture to perfect dryness ; 
mix the produce with the fifth part of its weight of sulphurie 
acid also highly concentrated ; and after a careful distillation, 
as much ether will be procured as there was aleohol em= 
ployed. We may substitute any other acetate for the acetate 
of potash, and particularly the acetate of lead; but in this 
case we must employ other proportions of alcohol and of 
sulphuric acid than those above mentioned, 
Experiment 
