Chemhiry. — Lechires. 315 



65'; It is volatilized by means of water, and crystallizes in small 

 prisms, which grow generallyat right angles : its density is superior 

 to that of water. When thrown njion a hot silver spoon, it is 

 volatilized, leaving a black spot adhering. The sulphuric ether 

 dissolves it very easily, and abandons it by evaporation; water 

 seems to dissolve a small quantity of it, for it assumes the smell 

 which is peculiar to this substance. Wishing to ascertain at the 

 same time how a high temperature would act upon it, and if it 

 contained chlorine, f placed the small globule u'hich remained, 

 at the bottom of a glass tube; I placed thereupon fragments of 

 glass, and upon these fragments some very pure barvtes. I be- 

 gan by heating the barytes, then the glass, and finally, the glo- 

 bule: immediately there was a violent detonation, which broke 

 the tube into a thousand pieces, and the rej)ort of vvhich resem- 

 bled the smack of a whip. I could not ascertain by this experi- 

 ment if the new substance contained chlorine ; for the products 

 of the explosion did not extend to the barytes. Having disco- 

 vered a small parcel of the substance in the vessel in which I had 

 kept it, I added a little potash, which has the property of dis- 

 solving it ; 1 heated it, keeping the vessel well closed; I saturated 

 the potash with nitric acid, and 1 added nitrate of silver. A 

 slight precipitate was soon formed ; but I operated upon too lit- 

 tle matter to be entirely convinced of the presence of chlorine or 

 of the hydrochloric acid in the new substance, although the cir- 

 .cumstaiues of its formation render it extremely probable that it 

 is composed of hydrochloric acid and the oil which I have men- 

 tioned above, or of chlorine and a pecuhar vegetable substance. 



The above observatious prove at least that the suljjhuric ether, 

 when left a long time to itself, yields also acetic acid, perhaps 

 alcohol and an oil. I shall not venture, hov^'cver, to affirm that 

 this oil had no resemblance with the sweet oil of wine, and that 

 it had not pre-existed in the ether ; for it is very certain that 

 the best prepared ether and the most recent leaves a very sensi- 

 ble speck on the glass on which we place some drops to evapo- 

 rate: — in all cases the new etherated combination which I have 

 described is very remarkable, and deserves to be better studied. 

 I recommend the sul)ject therefore to some abler chemists, who 

 have opportunities of preparing great (juantities of sulphuric ether. 



We are ccmcerncd to learn that Mr. Singer is compelled to 

 discontinue his public lectures, in consequence of severe illness, 

 resulting from the rupture of a blood-vessel of the lungs. — Mr. 

 Singer's extensive collection of instruments will, we understand, 

 be shortly submitted to public sale, in consequence of this event. 



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