280 ON THE CHANGE EFFECTED IN THE NITRATES OF POTASH AND SODA 



cellar for a longer period, without any apparent change of properties. In this 

 case pressure prevented the escape of the ethereal gas as above mentioned. 



When the ingredients for generating the new hypo-nitrous ether are refrige- 

 rated below freezing, and left to react, the ether begins to be formed as soon 

 as the temperature rises, and if the aggregate be included in a bottle with an 

 air-tight stopple, a stratum of ether will soon form and swim upon the surface 

 of the mixture. The quantity which can be thus obtained is much less than 

 that which ensues from the employment of the same quantity of materials with 

 a retort and refrigerated receiver; because the elaboration and condensation re- 

 quire a greater difference of temperature than can be imparted, conveniently, 

 to the different portions of a bottle, especially where the upper is required to 

 be the colder portion. 



In order to obtain a quantity of ether in a summary way, I resorted to this 

 process last winter, employing about a gallon of the mixture. After I had de- 

 canted the ether which formed in the course of a night, the residue, although 

 surrounded by snow, continued to give out the aerial ether for at least a fort- 

 night. The gaseous ether seems to be formed in innumerable invisible bub- 

 bles throughout the mass, which, on this account, presented the singular phe- 

 nomenon of an elastic liquid. On inserting the stopple, the liquid in the neck 

 of the bottle would subside in the most striking manner, and on removing the 

 stopple, an opposite movement was observable. 



All the ethereal compounds formed by the reaction of the oxacids of nitrogen 

 with alcohol appear to be decomposable by green sulphate of iron. Under 

 these circumstances, according to Berzelius, a malate of iron is formed from 

 common nitric ether. 



Concentrated sulphuric acid absorbs the elements derived from the alcohol, 

 and liberates nitric oxide gas, which is, it is well known, rapidly absorbable by 

 the green sulphate above mentioned. Let there be three cylindrical glass jars, 

 Nos. 1, 2, and 3, of such a ratio to each other, in size, as to allow two inter- 

 stices of about half an inch between the second, or intermediate jar, No. 2, and 

 the outer. No. 1, and innermost jar, No. 3; likewise, let two bell-glasses be 

 provided, of such a size as that one of them, (A,) may enter the inner inter- 

 stice, while the other, (B,) will cover (A,) and descend into the outer inter- 

 stice. Let a wine-glass containing the ether be placed in jar No. 3, and let 



