VOL. XXXVI.] PHILOSOPHICAL TKANSACTIONS. SQS 



ever so accurately, this ethereal liquor remains unmoved, nor does it emit any 

 air-bubbles, which immediately arise in other liquors, and according as their 

 quantity of intrinsic air is greater, so much the sooner are such liquors put 

 into agitation, and emit also more froth, and more vehement ebullitions in 

 proportion to viscidity. Hence it follows, that this ether may be preserved 

 best (because without any diminution) under the receiver in vacuo; whereas, 

 on the contrary, exposed to the open air, its parts soon evaporate, and its 

 whole bulk, but not compressed by the air, vanishes. (This experiment failed 

 remarkably.) 



Exper. 1. — A little of it poured on the surface of the hand, affects it with 

 a sense of cold equal to that from the contact of snow; and blow on it, but 

 once or twice with your mouth, immediately the hand becomes dry. Beware 

 however of approaching a lighted candle with your hand thus wet, lest it take 

 fire and burn you. (Succeeded.) 



Exper. 3. — It causes such a stridor and hissing, when poured on hot water, 

 as is frequently occasioned by a piece of hot iron thrown into it. Take a lump 

 of sugar, imbibe some of this ethereal liquor, and put it into a vessel full of 

 hot water, the sugar will indeed sink to the bottom, but the ethereal liquor 

 rushing violently forth, excites a great ebullition in the water. And, if one 

 spoonful of this ether be poured into a copper-pot-full of boiling water, with- 

 out any sugar in it, and approach immediately with a candle or a lighted paper, 

 instantly there issues forth from the water very great lightning. The handle 

 of a spoon, as well as the tongs for holding and applying the lighted paper, 

 must be of a proper length, that the effusion of the ethereal liquor on the hot 

 or boiling water, and the application of the lighted candle or paper, may be 

 performed at the same time; otherwise the ether is immediately dissipated, 

 without any such effect. There is therefore need of an assistant, or of both 

 hands, and also of a room where entrance may readily be given to fresh air, 

 proportionable to the magnitude of the flash of lightning which so rarefies the 

 air, as to endanger the stoppage of respiration. (Succeeded.) 



Exper. 4. — Hence it appears, that this ether is both fire and a very fluid 

 water, but so volatile as it soon evaporates, and that it is the purest fire; in- 

 somuch, as if kindled in 1000 times the quantity of cold water, it burns in- 

 extinguishably. Therefore, if you take an earthen vessel of any magnitude, 

 whose mouth or orifice may be 1 or 2 yards wide, but the interior breadth of 

 the vessel may contain 600, or 6000 gallons of water, the experiment will be 

 the same, pour on the top but 1 oz. or a small vial full of this ether, and apply 

 to it a lighted wax-candle, it takes fire immediately, burns placidly, and is so 

 far from being extinguished by the most profuse superaffusion of common 

 3 E '2 



