ON ETHER 221 



vitriolic acid, and 1 oz. of rectified spirit of wine, and 

 this mixture be exposed to a sand heat, in a few minutes 

 it will begin to grow hot, and will soon boil by itself. 

 During this time some ether, of a most agreeable smell, 

 goes over into the receiver. If the fire be increased, 

 towards the end a small quantity of vinegar will pass 

 over, without any mark of volatile sulphureous acid. The 

 air in the receiver is now found to be mixed with aerial 

 acid, and in the retort there will remain a residuum of 

 vitriolated manganese, without any excess of acid. (c) If 

 two parts of pounded manganese and one-half part of 

 vitriolic ether be mixed with one part of vitriolic acid, 

 and the process carried on as in (b), the mixture will 

 likewise grow hot of itself in about an hour's time. The 

 ether, which, a small portion excepted, is again obtained 

 after the process, has a finer smell than before. There is 

 likewise obtained some vinegar and some aerial acid. 



SECTION II. 



In order to ascertain whether the vitriolic acid is to be 

 looked upon as a real constituent part of the vitriolic ether, 

 the superfluous vitriolic acid ought to be separated from it. 

 In order to effect this, I found the rectification of the ether 

 with dry alkaline salt insufficient, because the alkali does not 

 touch the ether in all its points. I therefore dissolved 

 caustic alkali in spirit of wine, and in this alkalised spirit 

 I dissolved as much ether as it would take up. I then 

 distilled the mass again by means of a gentle heat. Upon 

 the ether thus obtained, after it was rectified, I cautiously 

 poured two parts of pure concentrated nitrous acid. The 

 mixture had perfectly the smell of nitrous ether. I 

 evaporated the whole to within a, few drops, and then 



