Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. Vol. XXI. Part 2.— 

 From the Royal Irish Academy. 



The African Repository and Colonial Journal. Vol. XXIV. No. 9. 

 Septemher, 1848. — From the American Colonization Society. 



The Medical News and Library. Vol. VI. No. 69. Sept. 1848.— 

 From Lea df Blanchard. 



Summary of the Transactions of the College of Physicians of Phila- 

 delphia. From April 4 to August 1, 1848, inclusive. — From the 

 College of Physicians. 



The Committee (Profs. Booth, F. Bache, and Frazer,) upon 

 Dr. Charles M. Wetherill's paper " On the Neutral Sulphate 

 of the Oxide of Ethyl and the Products of its Decomposi- 

 tion," reported, i-ecommending its publication in the Trans- 

 actions of the Society, and the publication was ordered ac- 

 cordingly. 



Although neutral sulphate of oxide of ethyl, the true sulphuric 

 ether, has been sought for in vain, and doubtless often formed, Dr. 

 W. has first succeeded in isolating it, and studying its properties. 

 It is prepared by slowly passing the vapours of anhydrous sulphuric 

 acid into pure ether, surrounded by ice and salt ; agitating the mix- 

 ture with 1 volume ether and 4 volumes water, separating the two 

 strata of liquids, agitating the ether solution with milk of lime, wash- 

 ing with water, and distilling off the ether. The oily liquid in the 

 retort is transferred to a capsule, washed with a little water, and dried 

 in vacuo over oil of vitriol. The aqueous solution contains sul- 

 phurous, ethionic, and sulphovinic acid, and if the temperature were 

 not kept low, it contains, in addition, isethionic and methionic acids. 



When pure, the neutral sulphate is a colourless oily liquid, of a 

 pungent taste and peppermint odour, sp. gr. 1.12; distils with great 

 difficulty, even in an atmosphere of carbonic acid ; the distillate 

 is colourless, neutral, and heavier than water. Chlorine is dis- 

 solved by it in the cold, without decomposition, giving a green colour, 

 and the oil is again precipitated by water. A solution of potassa, 

 saturated with sulphuretted hydrogen, changes it into mercaptan and 

 sulphate of potassa; C^ H^O, SO3 + KS, HS = C4 H^S, HS + KG, 

 SO3. It is soluble, unaltered in fuming nitric acid, but by adding 

 potassa and heating, nitrous ether is formed (C4 H5O, NO3). Treated 

 with muriatic acid and potassa, a heavy oil distils over, with an odour 

 of apples. With water, the oil disappears entirely, leaving an acid 

 solution. The carbon and hydrogeii were determined by combus- 



