Voltaic Electricity on Alcohol, fyc. 331 



II. Voltaic Action on Ether. 



I have given this title to the experiments made with ether, 

 although nearly the whole of them gave negative results. The 

 ether acted on was rectified, first by agitation with water, and 

 then by careful distillation from chloride of calcium, and possess- 

 ed all the properties of pure ether. From the powers of ether 

 as a solvent being greatly more limited than those of alcohol, the 

 former presents many fewer opportunities of studying the in- 

 fluence of the solution of foreign bodies on the voltaic agency. 

 It is usually said that ether is capable of dissolving a minute 

 quantity of potash ; but I found the quantity taken up to be 

 very insignificant. The ether containing this scarcely percepti- 

 ble quantity was acted on by fifty pairs of two-inch plates, but 

 no symptoms of change were observed. Results equally nega- 

 tive were obtained with a moderately strong etherial solution of 

 corrosive sublimate, and also with ether holding in solution as 

 much dry chloride of platinum and as much dry chromic acid as 

 it was capable of dissolving. Neither was any effect on the gal- 

 vanometer observed with these liquids when they were acted on 

 by the power of fifty pairs of two-inch plates. A dram of ether 

 holding a few drops of bromine in solution, caused a slight de- 

 viation of the needle with this power ; but no evolution of gas 

 from either pole or other symptom of decomposition was noticed. 



The action of the power of 216 pairs of four-inch plates was 

 next tried on pure ether, in the tube, Fig. 2, both when cold 

 and when heated near its boiling point ; but no evolution of gas 

 or other symptom of decomposition whatever was observed, al- 

 although the action was continued for six or seven minutes ; nor 

 was the galvanometer affected.* 



* This experiment was made with the long needle formerly mentioned. What 

 might be the effect on a more delicate instrument I do not pretend to say. 

 VOL. XIII. PART II. U U 



