TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION B. 993 
after some time was sufficient to complete the reaction. The product, washed and 
distilled, gave a result yielding as much as 95 per cent. of distillate under 100°. 
It appeared evident from the experiments that acid of a medium strength, say 
1350, was better adapted for our purpose than either very strong or very weak 
acid. That, in fact, the very strong acid produced little else than nitrogen 
tetroxide, and the very weak acid mainly nitric oxide. We determined to try a 
mixture of these two gases. 
The nitrogen tetroxide was produced by acting upon arsenious acid by nitric 
acid of sp. gr. 1500, or, in a later experiment, by acid of 1520. The nitric 
oxide was made by adding nitric acid to nitrite of sodium, or, in the latter experi- 
ments, by acting upon copper turnings by nitric acid. The gases were allowed to 
mix in a glass vessel, care being taken to keep the nitric oxide in considerable 
excess, Under these circumstances the mixed gases were freely absorbed, some 
unabsorbable gas being of course given off. And the product when examined 
gave at first from 85 to 90 parts boiling under 100°, but in later experiments 
the result came up to 95 parts at 100° and 97 parts at 105°. This result, from the 
manufacturing point of view, was as perfect as we could desire. 
It is not our wish to express any opinion as to the nature of the mixed gas, but 
can only record the fact, that it acts very much as we should expect nitrous acid 
gas (if it exists) would act upon amyl alcohol. That is a question, however, we 
leave for the consideration of others. 
5. On the Action of Water on Lead. By A. H. Atren, F.C.S. 
1885. Me: 
