438      ACTION  OF  NITRIC  ETHER  ON  IODIDE  OF  POTASSIUM. 
nal)  alcohol  diluted  (2  parts  95  per  cent,  alcohol  and  one  part 
water)  a  sufficient  quantity.  Pour  over  the  powdered  herb,  four 
ounces  of  the  diluted  alcohol,  and  work  through  with  the  hands 
until  thoroughly  moistened,  allow  it  to  stand  in  a  covered  jar 
for  24  hours.  Pack  closely  in  a  funnel  or  other  displacer  and 
proceed  to  displace,  until  twenty-four  fluid  ounces  are  obtained, 
which,  if  performed  with  proper  care,  will  exhaust  the  herb,  as 
tested,  by  tasting  the  droppings.  The  resulting  liquid  should 
be  exposed  in  a  shallow  dish  (in  summer  to  a  draft  of  air  under 
an  open  window,  in  winter  on  a  shelf  near  the  top  of  the  room) 
and  allowed  to  evaporate  spontaneously  until  it  measures  sixteen 
fluid  ounces.  Thirty  or  forty  grains  bi-carb.  potassa  in  powder 
may  then  be  added,  which  retains  the  extractive  in  solution  and 
clears  the  liquid,  without  interfering  with  its  properties. 
The  evaporation  of  this  fluid  extract  may  be  continued,  if  de- 
sired, with  a  very  gentle  heat  (in  a  water-bath)  until  reduced  to 
the  consistence  of  an  ordinary  extract.  The  result  in  either 
case,  fluid  or  solid,  possesses  in  a  marked  degree  the  sensible 
and  other  properties  of  the  herb,  each  teaspoonful  representing 
30  grains  of  the  herb. — Journ.  Trans.  Md.  Col.  of  Pharm., 
June,  1859. 
NOTE  ON  THE  ACTION  OF  NITRIC  ETHER  UPON  IODIDE  OF 
POTASSIUM. 
By  E.  JlJNCADELLA, 
The  action  of  nitric  ether  upon  iodide  of  potassium  is  very 
complex;  amongst  other  products  hydriodic  ether  and  a  little 
ordinary  ether  are  formed. 
Equivalent  proportions  of  iodide  of  potassium  and  nitric  ether, 
mixed  with  their  volume  of  alcohol,  were  put  into  a  tube  and 
sealed  up,  and  then  heated  to  212°  F.  for  15  hours  ;  the  tube, 
opened  after  cooling,  evolved  a  small  quantity  of  gas,  and  con- 
tained a  liquid  strongly  colored  by  free  iodine.  By  distilling 
it,  hydriodic  and  ordinary  ether  were  separated. 
The  ordinary  ether  appears  to  result  from  the  action  of  the 
hydriodic  ether  upon  alcohol  in  an  acid  liquid,  in  accordance 
with  the  experiments  of  Eeynoso.    The  gaseous  products  and 
