1819.] with Bases and indifferent Substances. 41 



The strong acids form, as has been shown, with alcohol the 

 first alcoholic acids, which are less powerful. Most of these, 

 when exposed to the action of heat, are decomposed into two 

 new compounds ; that containing the caloric, the ether thermate, 

 for example (sulphuric ether) comes over, and that containing 

 the water, the hydrous acid, for example (the second oinotfnonic 

 acid) remains behind. This compound of water is often, by 

 exposure to the air, converted by absorption of oxygen into a 

 third acid (third oinothionic acid), and sulphuric acid. The last 

 two alcoholic acids contain only fragments of the alcohol ; but 

 they contain all the elements of sulphuric acid. The ether, on 

 the other hand, contains none of the constituents of the acid. 

 Hence we must conclude that, it is a compound of caloric and of 

 the fragments of the alcohol. But to this there are many 

 exceptions. 



The salts which these new acids form with the saline bases 

 are almost all very soluble, and become still more interesting on 

 account of the products which they yield when exposed to the 

 action of heat. These very remarkable acids and their salts are 

 easily obtained by mixing cautiously the strong and concentrated 

 acids in excess with organic bodies, and by saturating the diluted 

 liquids with carbonate of lime, ofbarytes, or any other base, and 

 then evaporating them in a very gentle heat with an excess of 

 the base. These acids, when subjected to distillation, yield acid 

 and ethereal products. Their salts yield likewise other remark- 

 able acids, which have some resemblance to meconic acid, 

 succinic acid, and rhussic acid.* 



The neutral ethers, which contain an acid, cannot be com- 

 pared with the binary compounds of alcohol and an acid, which 

 always possess acid properties. They are triple compounds, 

 into which an imponderable body, heat, enters as a true consti- 

 tuent, after the manner of the ponderable bodies, and with the 

 assistance of the altered alcohol holds the acid so closely 

 fettered, that the saline bases are not capable of disengaging it. 

 Hence the separation of the constituents of ether is a difficult 

 process. Thus, for example, the compound of the most con- 

 centrated alcohol and muriatic acid is an acid, and analogous to 

 oinothionic acid, being, like it, weaker than muriatic acid. 

 Muriatic ether is quite a different thing ; namely, a product, 

 formed by an alcoholic muriate destroyed by heat ; and conse- 

 quently, like sulphuric ether, is a compound into which heat 

 enters as a constituent, and plavs an important part, since, in 

 company with the altered elements of the alcohol, it neutralizes 

 the acid of the ether, and keeps it so firmly fettered, that the 



stilutes a sufficient basis. The gas, or the vapour of these acids, on the contrary, 

 arc always thermo-hydrates. The water appears to constitute in them a first basis. 

 * This acid, similar to succinic acid, is found abundantly in the berries of the 

 Rhus typhinum, which ripen in the winter. It has in some cases a stronger affinity 

 for lead than sulphuric acid ha=. I shall give a more particular account of it 

 '^reader. 



6 



