Sulphurous Ether and Sulphate of Etherine. 275 



but at the first operation of the concentrators that we require vine- 

 gar for the material, afterwards we may easily dispense with it, the 

 shavings being sufficiently sour to take its place. Another advan- 

 tage in having several concentrators is, that if the shavings of the 

 first one should require to be cleaned or renewed, the process need 

 not be interrupted, but needs only to be advanced, and the first has 

 afterwards to take the place of the fourth as clearing tub. If the 

 vinegar, after having passed through the three tubs, should not be 

 sufficiently strong, the produce of the second is not -all put in No. 3, 

 but as much as will be equal to the additional whiskey ; the like is 

 done with the produce of No. 1 ; these three runnings are all thrown 

 back into No. 1, as fresh vinegar material, and as we always add 

 whiskey to the produce of 1 and 2, if all three casks are of equal 

 size, there will then always be more vinegar material for 2 and 3, 

 and it will be necessary, therefore, to bring the running of 3, if it 

 should be sour enough, into No. 1. 



Art. XI. — Observations on Sulphurous Ether, and Sulphate of 

 Etherine [the true Sulphurous Ether;) by R. Hare, M. D., 

 Professor of Chemistry in the University of Pennsylvania. 



It is known that when two parts, by weight, of sulphuric acid are 

 distilled with one of alcohol, a yellow sulphurous liquid is obtained. 

 Berzehus alleges, that when this liquid is exposed in an exhausted 

 receiver over sulphuric acid and hydrate of potash, an oleaginous 

 liquid remains, which he designates as " oil ofivine containing sul- 

 phuric acid, or heavy oil of wine.'' 



This oil is, by the same author, described as being heavier than 

 water, as having a penetrating aromatic odor, and a cool pungent 

 taste, resembling that of peppermint. It is, in fact, the liquid which 

 Hennel first analyzed as oil of wine, without, at the same time, men- 

 tioning the process by which it was procured. No doubt the differ- 

 ence between it and that procured by Boullay and Dumas, was in 

 some degree, the cause of the discordance between his observation 

 and theirs. According to Hennel, the oil of wine consists of an 

 atom of sulphuric acid, and an atom of hydrocarbon : S+4C+4H. 

 By the last mentioned appellation, this skilful chemist designates a 

 compound consisting of four atoms of carbon, and four of hydrogen. 



Serullas represents the oil in question as consisting of two atoms 

 of the acidj two of hydrocarbon or etherine, and one of water. 



