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PHAUMACEUTICAL MEETING. 
T. s. 
d. 
£. 
s. 
cZ. 
SuU 07 i Coldfield, Smith, Wm. 
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6 
Tunbridge Wells, Sells, E. J. 
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5 
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StocMon, Hodgson, E. & Son 
0 10 
6 
Vttoxeter, Johnson, John B... 
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6 
TJiornton-in- Crawew,Wilson,T. 
2 2 
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Wath-upon-Dearne, Hick, A.. 
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Tichliill, Yorks., Crowther, T. 
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Weymouth, Groves, Thomas B. 
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Torpoint, Down, Eichard H... 
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Windsor, Eussell, Charles J. L. 
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PHAEMACEUTICAL MEETING. 
Wednesday^ December bth, 1866. 
MR. T. H. HILLS, VICE-PRESIDENT, IN THE CHAIR. 
ON THE PEEPAEATION OF SPIEIT OF NITEOUS ETHEE. 
BY THEOPHILUS REDWOOD, PH.D., 
PKOFESSOR OF CHEMISTET AND PHAEMACT TO THE PHAEMACEUTICAL SOCIETY. 
An impure spirituous solution of nitrous ether has been long and extensively 
used in medicine, under the several names of Dulcified Acid of Nitre, Sweet 
Spirit of Nitre, Spirit of Nitric Ether, and Spirit of Nitrous Ether. It appears to 
have been first vaguely described as far back as the thirteenth century, by 
Eaymond Lully, but it was more prominently brought into notice by the great 
champion of chemical medicines, Basil Valentine, about two hundred years 
later. The process generally adopted for its preparation has consisted in dis¬ 
tilling a mixture of nitric acid and spirit; but several modifications of the pro¬ 
cess have from time to time been made, the proportion of acid in relation to 
the spirit having been frequently varied, and other alterations effected, with 
the view of meeting difficulties that have presented themselves, or of obviating 
objections that have been found to apply to the products obtained. 
X; In 1746 this preparation was first introduced in the London Pharmacopoeia 
under the name of Spiritus nitri dulcis, which was changed in 1788 to Spiritus 
Mheris nitrosi, and again in 1809 to Spiritus wthei'is tiitrici. 
The process given in the London Pharmacopoeia of 1746 consisted in sub¬ 
mitting to distillation a mixture of six troy ounces of strong nitric acid, of about 
1-5 specific gravity, with thirty-two fluid ounces of rectified spirit. This pro¬ 
cess remained unaltered until 1809, when the proportion of nitric acid was 
reduced to one-half. In 1824 a slight change was made in the quantity of 
spirit directed to be distilled from the mixture, which was equivalent to re¬ 
ducing the proportion of acid. The next change was made in 1851, when the 
proportion of acid was still further diminished, and a weaker acid, of specific 
gravity 1‘42, was directed to be used. The process now consisted in mixing 3^ 
fluid ounces of nitric acid (sp. gr. 1'42) with 2 pints (40 fluid ounces) of rec¬ 
tified spirit, and distilling 28 fluid ounces of product from the mixture. 
It will thus be seen that the changes which have been made in the process 
of the London Pharmacopoeia have all been in one direction, and have con¬ 
sisted in a succession of reductions in the proportion of nitric acid employed. 
The object appears to have been to avoid the violent reaction which occurs 
when strong nitric acid and rectified spirit, in certain proportions, are submitted 
to distillation. When nitric acid of specific gravity 1-42 is employed, little or 
no chemical action occurs unless the proportion of acid to spirit be at least 
one to four by volume. If the proportion be one to three, the action is violent 
and uncontrollable; in fact, in operating on more than small quantities of 
material, the process under these circumstances is not unattended with danger. 
