332 COMPOSITION OF SULPHURIC ETHER. 



ether as a product, that must have more hidrogen and less 

 oxigen than alcohol *. 



Residuum from The residuum of the mixture of sulphuric acid Avith al- 



the niixtuie of i , , , , . . ^ 



sulphuric rcid *^°"^* "-^^^^^ in suspension, after the ethereous fluid is sepa- 



and alcohol. rated, a bituminous or resinous matter f greatly loaded with 

 carbon. It will be asked, no doubt, how it is possible, 

 that ether should contain more carbon than alcohol, since 

 the latter has let fall a portion of this element in its conver- 

 sion into ether. But it must be remembered, that this re- 

 siduum contains likewise oxigen and hidrogen, wlurh are 

 found either in the bituminous substance or in the stare of 

 water ; and that, if this oxigen and hidrogen be taken from 

 the alcohol in larger proportion than the carbon, the latter 

 must predominate in the ether. 



Two parts of To judge whether my analyses lead to. this conclusion, I 



alcohol yield jjavc examined what quantity of ether a determinate weidit 

 one of ether. r- , i , , , 



ot alcohol would produce; and I found by approximation, 



that two parts of alcohol, if wholly decomposed, would 

 give one of rectified ether. I obtained this result by the 

 following operations^ 

 80 p. alcohol, A hundred parts of common spiilt of wsnc of the spe- 

 lOo'sulThuS'^ ^'^^ gravity of 0-845,, and containing 80 parts of perfect 

 acid, produced alcohol with 20 of water, produced, by mixture with au 

 ether ™^'"'^ ^^"^^ weight of sulphuric acid, 60 parts of ethereous fluid 

 not rectified, by stopping the distillation at tha moment 

 when the sulphurous smell is decidedly perceived, and the 

 oil begins to appear. I actually collected only 52 parts ^of 

 * the ethereous fluid, but I found, from the diflereacc in the 

 weight of the retort, tliat contained the spirit of wine and 

 sulphuric acid, taken before and after the distillation, that 

 60 parts had been produced. It is m'cII known, that a cer- 

 tain quantity of ether always flies off" in vapour during this 

 process, the weight of which could not be found in a,ny 

 other way. In the following operations I continued to es- 

 timate the weight of the product by that of the residuum. 



* Statiqiic Chimique, vol. ii, p. 531 and following, 

 t A^.W. and rroust, Mr moires des Savaus cUangers, Institui, 

 nal. v!)]. L 



The 



