ETHER. 705 



also be used indefinitely for the preparation of ether with- 

 out sensibly diminishing, the ether and water into which the 

 alcohol is resolved, coming off entirely, and leaving none of its 

 elements with the acid. 



To obtain the ether perfectly free from alcohol and other im- 

 purities, the crude product may be mixed with some milk of 

 lime and an equal volume of water, the lighter liquid drawn off, 

 and allowed to digest for several days upon chloride of calcium, 

 or quicklime ; and finally be rectified from the same substances. 

 The last product has a specific gravity between 0.720 and 0.725. 



Ether is a light, transparent, highly limpid, fragrant and vola- 

 tile liquid, having a sharp aromatic taste, and which when 

 swallowed or inhaled in the form of vapour, acts as a powerful 

 stimulant. Its density is 0.715 at 68, and 0.724 at 54, by 

 Gay-Lussac's observations. It boils between 96 and 98 (26.5 

 cent. Gay-Lussac) ; evaporates rapidly at ordinary temperatures, 

 and produces great cold by its evaporation. It is very com- 

 bustible, and a mixture of its vapour with air or oxygen is 

 explosive in a high degree ; hence it must always be distilled 

 with caution. Ether, unlike alcohol, burns with a white flame ; 

 it is converted into water and carbonic acid. When a spiral 

 coil of platinum wire, heated red-hot, is suspended in the vapour 

 of ether, the latter burns without flame, and produces a very 

 acrid vapour, which when condensed has been found to contain 

 acetic, formic and aldehydic acids. When transmitted through 

 a red hot tube, ether is decomposed into aldehyde, olefiant gas, 

 and the gas of marshes. 



Ether mixes with alcohol in all proportions, but may be sepa- 

 rated completely from the latter by agitation with twice its bulk 

 of water, which takes up the alcohol while the ether floats on its 

 surface. One part of ether dissolves in 10 parts of water, while 

 36 parts of ether dissolve 1 of water. Its solvent powers are 

 much less extensive than those of alcohol. Ether dissolves 

 l-80th of sulphur, and l-37th of phosphorus, and also iodine and 

 bromine in large quantity, but is soon decomposed by them. It 

 dissolves also a considerable number of chlorides, such as that 

 of mercury, of zinc, and gold. Ether dissolves also several 

 organic acids, such as the acetic, gallic, benzole, oleic and 

 stearic acids, also the essential oils, fats, wax, and certain resins. 

 Certain vegetable bases are also soluble in ether, while others 

 are not. 



