n taken with a view to a possible unpleasant conclusion, per- 
sonal inconvenience might have resulted, for the 3-litre flask 
quantities as to have caused the explosion. It seems, pen 
likely that the heat generated by the reaction was sufficient t0 
I have had no difficulty, however, in preparing this ether y 
a different process. By dissolving a considerable quantity 
of nitric acid with the utmost facility. The following are the 
proportions which I have employed. ‘sed 
~ Into a retort of the capacity of a litre, 200 ¢. ¢. of purl 
wood pout are placed and about 40 grammes of nitrate of ev 
ed and heat applied. When solution has nearly ta 
The operation may be carried on rapidly. We are rh 
mended in the text-books to carry off the vapors very earef + 
in preparing nitrate of methyl, on account of the prodact oi 
enhy one acid as a by-product. In chemical laboratories t 
is doubtless generally rather too little precaution taken eee 
much against noxious vapors, but in the present case, I hich 
carefully examined the distillate, both in the old process, - pes 
iled, and in that which I here propose, and I could fim 
* Freedom 
acid is 
Freedom from the lower f success, ‘That mi 
acid aoe om se eat a sufficient indication of purity in this respee ee polly 
