ETHER. 



Dr. Thomfon, however, feems to doubt the perfect accu- 

 racy of this analyfis, and fuppofes rather that it is a com- 

 pound of four atoms of olefiant gas and one atom of water, 

 which fuppofition nearly agrees with the fpecific gravity 

 of the vapour of ether above-mentioned, as determined 

 by M. Gay Luflac. Thus the fp. gr. of olefiant gas 

 being .974- 



Two volumes of it will weigh 

 The fp. gr. of the vapour of) 

 water is - - - J 



1.948 



.625 



•573 



true fp. 



which certainly differs but little from 2.586, thi 

 gr. according to M. Gay LufTac. 



Nitric Ether. — The properties of this fmgular fubftance 

 have been lately invefligated by Thenard. This eminent 

 chemift foimd the following to be the befl; mode of preparing 

 it. Equal parts of alcohol and nitric acid, of the fp. gr. 

 1.283, were put into a retort, to the beak of which was 

 luted a glafs tube, which was plunged to the bottom, of a 

 long naiTOW glafs jar, half filled with a faturated aqueous 

 folution of common fait. From the top of this jar paffed 

 another tube, which went to the bottom of another fimilar 

 jar, filled with the fame folution. In this manner, five other 

 fimilar jars were connected with each other, and from the 

 laft a tube palTed to a water-trough, to receive the gafeous 

 products in proper veflels. Each of thefe jars was fur- 

 rounded with a mixture of fnow and fait, to keep it as 

 cool as poflible. A moderate heat was then apphed to the 

 retort, which produced fo violent an effervefcence, that it be- 

 came neceffary to moderate it by withdrawing the fire, and 

 applying cold water to the outfide of the retort. At the 

 end of the operation, the ether was found floating on the 

 furface of the folution in the different jars, but more efpe- 

 cially in the firft. It was feparated, and to remove the 

 nitrous and acetic acids with which it was contaminated, 

 it was agitated in a clofe phial with a fufficient quantity of 

 chalk. Thus purified, it poffeffes the following properties. 



It has a flightly yellow colour, and a very ftrong etherial 

 odour. Its taile is likewife ilrong and peculiar. It is 

 rather heavier than alcohol. It is much more volatile than 

 fulphuric ether, the heat of the hand being fufficient to 

 make it boil ; hence it produces a very confiderable degree 

 of cold by its evaporation. It is lighter than water, and 

 requires about forty-eight parts of that fluid to diflblve it. 

 The folution has an agreeable odour, like that of apples. 

 It is foluble in alcohol in every proportion. It is very inflam- 

 mable. When kept for fome time, both nitrous and acetic 

 acids are formed in it. The fame acids alfo are produced 

 if it be heated, or even agitated with water. It has alfo 

 the property of abforbing thefe acids very readily, and 

 acquiring the property of reddening vegetable blues. Its 

 vapour is much more elailic than that of fulphuric ether. 



According to Thenard, it is compofed of 



Hydrogen 



Carbon ... 



Oxygen - . - 



Azote . - - 



But Dr. Thomfon does not feem to place much reliance 

 in the accuracy of this analyfis. 



Muriatic Ether Since the article Ether was written 



for the Cyclopedia, this fpecies of ether has been examined 



with great care by Gehlen, and ftill more recently by 

 Thenard, which latter chemift has given the following as 

 the bell mode of preparing it. 



A retort is to be nearly filled with a mixture of equal 

 bulks of muriatic acid and alcohol, both as ftrong as pof- 

 fible. To prevent the effects of the violent ebullition which 

 would otherwife take place on the application of heat, a few 

 grains of fand are to be introduced into the retort. From the 

 beak of the retort a tube pafles into a glafs jar, twice the fize 

 of the retort, andfurniflied with three mouths. This jar fliould 

 be half filled with water of the temperature of about 70°. 

 Into the fecond mouth a ftiort tube of fafety is to be luted ; 

 and into the third, a tube which pafles into a water-trough 

 to receive the gas. On the apphcation of heat, the ether 

 efcapes in the form of gas. This gas is colourlefs, does 

 not affeft vegetable colours nor hme-water. Its fp. gr. is 

 2.219, that of air being i. At the temperature of 64°, 

 water diffolves its own bulk of it. At the temperatiire of 

 52°, it becomes liquid ether. 



Muriatic ether in its liquid ftate is colourlefs hke water, 

 very liquid, has no aftion on vegetable blues, and has the 

 fame fmell and tafte as in the gafeous ftate. At the tem- 

 perature of 41°, Thenard afcertained its fp. gr. to be .874. 

 It is much more volatile than alcohol, or even fulphuric 

 ether. None of the ufual tefts indicate the prefence of 

 muriatic acid in it. When burnt, however, a confiderable 

 proportion of this acid is difengaged, a fact firft obferved 

 by Gehlen, and fince fully confirmed by Thenard. From 

 Thenai-d's analyfis, it appears that this fingular compound 

 is compofed of 



Muriatic acid 

 Carbon . . - 

 Oxygen . . - 

 Hydrogen 



Dr. Thomfon is difpofed to confider it as a compound 

 of one volume of olefiant gas, and one volume of muriatic 

 acid gas, condenfed into one volume ; or, what is the fame 

 thing, of four atoms olefiant gas, and one atom of muriatic 

 acid. On this fuppofition, its conftituents will be 



Five atoms hydrogen 

 Four atoms carbon 

 One atom chlorine 



And the weight of its |^ 

 atom will be - -J 



6.25 



30.00 

 45.00 



81.25 



Hydriodic Ether. — This etlier was difcovered by M. Gay 

 Luflac. He formed it by mixing together two volumes 

 of abfolute alcohol, and one volume of hydriodic acid of the 

 fp. gr. 1.7, and diftilHng in a water-bath. Hydriodic 

 ether, after being well waflied with water, is perfectly 

 neutral. Its odour is ftrong, and analogous to that of other 

 ethers. In a few days it acquires a reddifli colour, which 

 is inftantly removed by mercury or potalh. Its fp. gr. 

 at 72° is 1.9206. It boils at the temperature of 148^°. It 

 is not inflammable, but merely gives out purple vapours 

 when put upon burning coals. When patTed through a 

 red-hot tube, it is decompofed, an inflammable carburetted 

 gas is obtained, hydriodic acid evolved, and fome charcoal 

 depofited. This ether has not been analyfed ; but Dr. 

 Thomfon is difpofed to believe, from analogy, that it 

 has a compofition fimilar to that of muriatic ether, or that 

 3 P 2 it 



