222 ESSAY XX. 



added a little of the solution of terra ponderosa, which 

 instantly grew white ; consequently a regenerated spathum 

 ponderosum was here produced. This I think will be quite 

 sufficient to prove that vitriolic acid is a constituent part of 

 vitriolic ether. 



SECTION III. 



That calx of zinc, dissolved in muriatic acid, and that 

 butter of antimony and smoking spirit of libavius, on distilla- 

 tion with spirit of wine, produce ether, is a known fact, and 

 my experiments confirm it. I shall only add here, that in 

 all these distillations no aerial acid is produced. Why no 

 ether can be produced from muriatic acid and spirit of wine 

 alone, the following experiment may teach : (a) I mixed 

 1 oz. of pulverised manganese with 4 oz. of common 

 muriatic acid and 2 oz. of rectified spirit of wine, and 

 put this mixture, after I had covered it well, aside for 

 seven whole months, during which period it was now and 

 then agitated. This mixture at last yielded an odour of 

 nitrous ether, and I saw some drops of oil floating upon it. 

 From this observation I was led to put into a tubulated 

 retort 2 oz. of common salt, and as much vitriolic acid ; 

 and after luting on a receiver, which contained 3 oz. of 

 spirit of wine, I placed it in a sand-bath. After some time 

 I poured this spirit, which was now fuming, into a retort 

 which contained 3 oz. of powdered manganese. The 

 mixture instantly assumed a fine green colour, but a few 

 minutes afterwards it grew hot, upon which I immediately 

 applied a receiver. The heat increased so much that the 

 mass began to boil of itself, and at the same time the green 

 colour disappeared. After the ebullition had ceased, I put 

 the contents of the receiver into a flask, into which I had 

 previously poured a little water, the ether instantly 



