342 ACETIC ACID 



ate the stagnating venous blood by bringing the animal into 

 a pure atmosphere, stimulating respiratory effort by dashing 

 cold water over the head and neck, employing artificial 

 respiration, and, if the action of the heart is failing, relieving 

 its engorgement by drawing blood from the jugular vein. 

 Carbonic acid in solution applied to the skin or stomach 

 produces mild irritation and stimulation. Effervescent 

 drinks increase gastric and intestinal secretion, hasten 

 metabolism, and are excreted from the kidneys more rapidly 

 than corresponding quantities of non-aerated water. 



ACETIC ACID 



Glacial acetic acid is prepared by heating sodium acetate 

 with sulphuric acid. One hundred parts by weight 

 should contain ninety-nine parts of hydrogen acetate, 

 CHg.COOH. Specific gravity 1-058. The glacial acid is 

 mobile, oily, and colourless, with a pungent acetous odour 

 and taste, and a corrosive action upon organised tissues. 

 It boils at 243 Fahr., distils unchanged, is combustible, 

 miscible in all proportions with water and alcohol, crystal- 

 lises into radiating pearly plates when cooled, and remains 

 crystalline until the temperature rises above 60 Fahr. 



Acetic acid (acidum aceticum) is a product of the destruc- 

 tive distillation of wood, or of the oxidation of ethylic 

 alcohol. One hundred parts by weight should contain 

 thirty- three parts of hydrogen acetate, and sixty-seven of 

 water. Specific gravity 1-044. It is colourless, strongly 

 acid, with a pungent odour. Acetic acid is about one- 

 third the strength of the glacial acid (B.P.). An imperfectly 

 purified acid containing some residual tarry matters is sold 

 as pyroligneous acid. The acidum aeeticum dilutum is acetic 

 acid diluted with distilled water until it has a specific gravity 

 of 1-006. It should contain 4-27 per cent, hydrogen acetate. 



Acetic acid, even when considerably diluted, reddens 

 litmus, dissolves volatile oils, resins, camphor, and most 

 alkaloids, and unites with bases to form the crystallisable 

 and soluble acetates, which are distinguished by the acetous 

 odour they emit when heated with sulphuric acid ; the 

 pleasant odour of acetic ether they evolve when heated with 



