SELECTED ARTICLES. 
29 
process, that I was induced, about twelve or fifteen years ago, 
to introduce an apparatus in which they were gradually added 
together within a glass bottle, by means of glass funnels with 
glass cocks. 
Subsequently I adopted the more simple apparatus repre- 
sented in the accompanying figure. 
Providing a bottle with three tubulures, let one tubulure 
communicate by means of a recurved tube A, with another 
tube passing perpendicularly through an open-necked inverted 
receiver C, and entering a bottle surrounded with ice and salt, 
occupying a suitable vessel B B. The cavity of the receiver 
should likewise be occupied by a freezing mixture. 
Into each of the remaining tubulures let a glass tube be in- 
troduced, ground or luted to fit air tight, and tapering so as 
to terminate in a capillary orifice near the bottom of the 
bottle. 
Through one of the tubes introduce as much alcohol as will 
cover the bottom of the bottle, and then, by means of the 
other tube, introduce as much strong nitric acid as will cause 
an effervescence. Should the effervescence threaten to become 
explosive, the reaction may be checked by the further addi- 
tion of alcohol, and when the reaction appears to decline too 
much, it may be re-excited by an additional quantity of acid. 
By these means, without applying heat, a quantity of nitric* 
ether will soon be condensed in the refrigerated bottle. To 
convert this ether into a liquid, fully equal to the officinal 
sweet spirits of nitre, let it be mingled with seven parts of 
alcohol, and four of water. 
The colder the freezing mixture, the greater will be the 
* I incline to the opinion that this ether is a compound of etherine with 
the "'hiponitrous^'' acid of the British chemists, consisting of three atoms 
of oxygen and one of nitrogen. This compound is by Berzelius called 
'■'•nitrous'''' acid : as the name of this acid is doubtful, and as it is possible 
that new fight may be thrown on the composition of this liquid, it appears 
to me inexpedient at this time Jo change the name by which it has for 
many years been known. 
