ON SULPHUROUS ETHER. 
153 
from the ethereal sulphurous sulphate of etherine by the am- 
monia employed, chloride of barium was added in excess to 
the resulting ammoniacal solution, until no further precipitate 
would ensue. The liquid having been rendered quite clear 
by filtration, soon became milky. By evaporation to dryness, 
and exposure to a red heat, a residuum was obtained which 
proved partially insoluble chlorohydric acid, and by ignition 
with charcoal, yielded sulphide of barium. It appears, there- 
fore, that a hyposulphate of barytes existed in the liquid after 
it was filtered; as I believe that the hyposulphuric acid is the 
only oxacid of sulphur which is capable of forming with barytes 
a soluble compound, susceptible, by access of oxygen, of being 
converted into an insoluble sulphate, and precipitating in con- 
sequence. 
It must be evident from the facts which I have narrated, 
that the yellow liquid obtained by distilling equal measures of 
sulphuric acid and alcohol, consists of oil of wine held in so- 
lution by sulphurous ether, composed of nearly equal volumes 
or weights of its ingredients; also, that the affinity between 
the ether and the acid is analogous to that which exists be- 
tween alcohol and water. The apparent detection of sulphu- 
ric acid in the ammonia, justifies a surmise, that the etherine 
distils in the state of a hyposulphate, which subsequently 
undergoes a decomposition into sulphurous acid and sulphate 
of etherine. 
The liquid above alluded to, as resulting from the saturation 
of the ethereal sulphurous sulphate of etherine by ammonia, 
and distillation by means of a water bath gradually raised to 
a boiling heat, is a very fragrant variety of oil of wine. It 
differs from that described by Berzelius as the heavy oil of 
wine of Hennel and Serullas, in being lighter and containing 
less sulphuric acid. I have a specimen exactly of the specific 
gravity of water, and have had one so light as to float on that 
liquid. The oil of wine obtained by ammonia approximates, 
in its qualities, to the variety which Thenard describes as 
light oil of wine. The presence of sulphuric acid in a definite 
VOL. nr. — NO. II. 20 
