ETHER, AMYLIC. 



ETHERS. 



(176 



>tive agents. Economy and physiology a 

 recommend the proceeding. The great solvent power of sulphuric 

 ether renders it an eligible menstruum for the administration of a 

 variety of articles ; by these its own powers are heightened. It has 

 also been attempted to take advantage of its power in this respect, 

 by employing it in cases of biliary calculi, not merely to alleviate the 

 agonising pain, but from a belief that it would dissolve the calculus, 

 and so lessen its bulk. Oil of turpentine is a good addition. It has 

 also been recommended against tape-worm, from a notion that the 

 volatised ether would greatly annoy the worm, and allow it to be 

 easily removed by a dose of castor oil or other purgative. This is not 

 free from inconvenience and even danger to the feeble persons who are 

 infested with the tape-worm. The antispasmodic powers of ether are 

 much increased by adding tincture of opium, or a solution of the 

 hydrochlorate of morphia. This combination furnishes the most 

 effectual means of warding off a paroxysm of hysteria or epilepsy, if 

 administered promptly. This is an object of great moment, as every 

 fit, if allowed to take place, predisposes to a recurrence of them. 

 Externally, ether is applied to the temples to relieve nervous headaches; 

 and also over hernial tumours, in order that by the cold consequent 

 on its evaporation the hernia may contract and be reduced : a portion 

 of thin oiled silk should lie interposed between the ether and the 

 skin. 



Sulphuric ether is rarely found in shops perfectly pure. The casual 

 or intentional adulterations interfere more with its chemical properties 

 as a solvent of various substances than with its medicinal powers. 

 Time however resolves it, particularly if kept in the light, into acetic 

 acid and alcohol. It ought therefore to be recently prepared, and 

 preserved in an obscure place. The Spirit of sulphuric ether is only a 

 weaker form, with some etherial oil, of the pure ether. 



Nitric or hyponitroxis ether is never employed pure in medicine, 

 but only as the spirit of nitric ether. This has considerable resem- 

 blance to the sulphuric ether, but is more miscible with water. It 

 likewise has more marked secondary effects, especially on the kidneys 

 and skin. Hence it is much employed as a diuretic. Its impression 

 on the organ of taste is aromatic, sweet, and cooling, and it is known 

 familiarly as the Sweet Spirit of Nitre. Its restorative action is neither 

 so quick nor so certain as that of sulphuric ether ; but where drop- 

 sical effusions co-exist with disease of the heart, it merits the prefer- 

 ence. It is charged with uncertainty as a diuretic, less perhaps from 

 its own nature, than from want of accurate discrimination of the 

 varieties of condition both of the system at large and of the kidneys, 

 when diuretics are indicated, and from the very common error of 

 mingling in the same formula medicines of very opposite modes 

 of action, though each singly may be a diuretic. [DIURETICS.] 

 The vapour of this, as well as of sulphuric ether, when copious, has 

 proved fatal to those exposed to it. All bottles containing them 

 should be well stopped or corked. Sweet spirit of nitre is a useful 

 addition to copaiba, both as aiding to convert it into the form of 

 mixture, and as a diuretic for diluting the acrimony of the urine, 

 where copaiba is given in diseases of the bladder and urethra. (Christi- 

 son.) Nitric ether is often fraudulently added to malt spirits to give 

 them the flavour of French brandy. (Paris.) 



Chloric ether is also markedly diuretic. It is a most valuable 

 analeptic in the sinking stages of fevers, in asthma, and asthenic 

 diseases of various kinds. 



Acetic ether is a very agreeable stimulant, possessing a grateful 

 odour, resembling Rhine wine, and a cooling, aromatic, somewhat 

 bitterish taste. Its action is similar to that of the other ethers, and 

 though not so potent, it is more agreeable to take. Its long-continued 

 use however oppresses the digestive organs. Nevertheless it deserves 

 to be employed in adynamic fevers, its action on the skin rendering 

 it very advantageous. In tendency to fainting it is Tery serviceable ; 

 also in asphyxia. In some local affections it is of great utility applied 

 in the form of vapour, such as some forms of deafness. (See Pilcher 

 ' On the Ear.') 



Phosphoric ether is a valuable restorative in the paralytic stage of 

 fever. 



For the employment of sulphuric ether as an anaesthetic agent, 

 see CHLOROFORM, and the work of Dr. J. C. Warren on ' Etherization.' 

 Boston, U.S., 1848. 



Collodion, which is a solution of gun-cotton in ether, is of consider- 

 able use in medicine. As a means of excluding the air from cuts, 

 cracks, and sores, it is often better than ointments. It lessens the 

 tendency to form pits and depressions of the skin in small pox, and is 

 very effectual in stopping profuse bleeding from leech-bites. 



ETHER, AMYLIC. Synonymous with oxide of amyl. [Asm,.] 



ETHER, BUTYRIC. [BUTTLE.] 



ETHER, CAMPHORIC. [CAMPHORIC ACID.] 



ETHEREAL SALTS. These organic bodies, called also ethers and 



Compound Ethert, are, like the true ethers, formed upon the model or 



type of water ; they differ however from the ethers, inasmuch as one 



of the radicals replacing hydrogen is a negative radical. Thus, 



formic ether consists of water, in which one of the equivalents oi 



hydrogen is replaced by the positive radical ethyl, and the remaining 



atom of hydrogen by the negative oxygenous radical formyl. 



Formic ether .... ,,*. j O, 



L. x flU| J 



The constitution of these compounds is analogous to that of the salts 

 of the oxygen acids amongst inorganic bodies. 



The ethereal salts are produced by a variety of processes; for 

 instance by the reaction of the alcohols upon the hydrated acids, the 

 anhydrous acids, or the chlorides of the acid radicals. The hydrated 

 organic acids generally require the intervention of sulphuric or hydro- 

 chloric acid to etherify them. The anhydrous acids are more easily 

 etherified than the hydrated. Sometimes hydrated acid may be 

 etherified by heating it with the simple ether in a sealed tube to 

 about 650 Fahr. This is the case with the butyric, benzoic, and 

 palmytic acids. 



The ethereal salts are generally very mobile colourless liquids, 

 possessing peculiar and often very agreeable odours, the fragrance of 

 many fruits and flowers being due to the presence of small quantities 

 of these bodies. They are neutral, volatile, and generally very sparingly 

 soluble in water. Ammonia converts many of these ethereal salts into 

 amides. [For the nature of the reaction see AMIDES.] 



The above remarks refer exclusively to monatomic ethereal salts, 

 that is, ethers constructed upon the model of the double molecule of 

 water ; there are, however, other classes of ethereal salts derived from 

 bibasic and tribasic acids, and which are termed respectively bin/"inir 

 and triatomic ethereal salts. The biatomic ethereal salts correspond 

 to the quadruple molecule of water, thus : 



Water. 



CH S 



C.O, 



Oxalic ether. 



Whilst the triatomic ethereal salts are constructed upon the model of 

 the sextuple molecule of water, thus : 



Water. 



Cyanate of methyl. 



The biatomic and triatomic ethereal salts are produced by processes 

 analogous to those employed for the preparation of the monatomic 

 ethereal salts, with which they also possess great similarity of pro- 

 perties. A detailed description of these ethers is, when necessary, 

 given under the name of the positive radical (ETHYL, for instance) 

 which they contain. 



ETHERENE. [OLEFIANT GAS.] 



ETHERINE. EtheroL Light oil of trine (C M H m ?). A peculiar 

 oily hydrocarbon, formed during the preparation of ether. It boils at 

 526 Fahr. 



ETHEROL. [ETHERINE.] 



ETHERONE. Identical with AMTLENE. 



ETHERS. This name has been applied in chemistry to three distinct 

 classes of bodies, namely, 1st, to a series of compounds constituted like 



ether (vinic ether S 4 g 5 1 0,) ; 2nd, to a class of bodies formed by the 

 union of organic radicals like ethyl with the halogens, chlorine, iodine, 

 &c., as 



Iodide of ethyl .... C t HjI 

 Chloride of methyl . ... C,H,C1'; 



and 3rd, to a family of organic compounds, of which acetic ether 



- To tlie firet class o substancea 



exclusively, we propose to apply the designation Ethers, the second may 

 be conveniently termed Haloid Ethers, and the third Ethereal Salt*. 



Ethers. Several bodies belonging to this class have been long known ; 

 but although few organic compounds have been submitted to more 

 elaborate investigation, yet it was not until the publication of the 

 recent remarkable researches of Professor Williamson that the true 

 nature and constitution of this important class of organic bodies became 

 clearly established. According to this chemist, the ethers are con- 

 structed upon the type of the double atom of water, the same in fact 

 upon which the alcohols are considered to be formed ; but whilst in 

 the alcohols only one of the equivalents of hydrogen in the double 

 atom of water is replaced by a compound radical, in the ethers both 

 equivalents of hydrogen are thus replaced. 



These relations of alcohols and ethers to water will be best seen from 

 the following examples : 



Water . . . . H } 



Vinlc alcohol * H * ( t 



C 4 I 

 Vinic ether rj j 



Sometimes the two equivalents of hydrogen in water are replaced by 



