Am.  Jour  Pharm. 
Oct.,  1879 
Sweet  Spirit  of  Nitre. 
complex,  and  one  that  probably  did  not  meet  with  universal  adoption. 
Of  course  this  might  be  said  of  any  process,  and  the  quantity  to  be 
operated  upon  will  also  be  a  modifying  agent.  Mr.  Rimmington's 
remarks  respecting  the  directions  to  allow  the  still  to  cool  before  adding 
more  acid  were  quite  to  the  point  ;  but  if,  on  the  other  hand,  the  whole 
of  the  acid  is  added  to  start  with  the  action  is  very  violent,  and  if  the 
quantities  dealt  with  are  large,  it  is  almost  sure  to  lead  to  loss  of  ether. 
If  the  acid  is  added  later  on  without  waiting  for  the  cooling,  red  fumes 
are  apt  to  come  over.  In  this  dilemma  we  are  left,  and  we  should 
have  been  under  obligation  had  Mr.  Rimmington  pointed  out  a  more 
excellent  way.  Mr.  Umney  has  also  stated  that  nitre  made  by  the 
B.P.  process  was  unfavorably  received,  and  I  suppose  most  manufac- 
turers must  occasionally  have  found  the  results  unsatisfactory. 
Just  before  the  British  Pharmacopoeia  came  out,  Professor  Redwood 
read  a  very  exhaustive  article  on  spirit  of  nitre,  explaining  the  B.P. 
process,  and  briefly  reviewing  other  processes.  The  Edinburgh  and 
Dublin  forms  of  making  hyponitrous  ether  first,  were  dismissed  as  not 
being  applicable  for  large  quantities  and  expensive.  There  may  be 
something  in  this,  for  whatever  Professor  Redwood  states  is  so  well 
considered  that  it  may  always  be  taken  as  correct.  Still,  after  trying 
several  processes,  I  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  with  the  quan- 
tities with  which  I  deal,  none  is  so  satisfactory  as  the  Edinburgh  plan. 
It  is  as  easy  and  takes  less  time,  but  what  is  of  much  more  moment, 
it  makes  a  nitre  that  is  very  pleasant  and  uniform  in  character.  I  am 
not  sure  it  is  the  best  plan,  but  it  is  the  best  I  know,  and  I  do  not  find 
it  very  difficult  to  manipulate. 
I  take  twelve  pints  of  acohol  and  add  to  it  carefully  three  pints  of 
nitric  acid  either  at  once  or  in  successive  portions.  This  is  placed  in 
a  still  having  a  capacity  of  eight  gallons,  connected  with  a  stone  worm 
and  Woulfe's  bottles  to  catch  what  escapes  the  first  condenser  and 
receiver.  Action  will  sometimes  commence  without  artificial  heat  ;  if 
it  does  not  I  turn  on  steam  till  it  does,  but  before  the  temperature 
reaches  1400,  distillation  commences  rapidly  at  first  and  requires  very 
careful  condensation.  The  distillate  is  in  appearance  and  quantity 
about  the  same  as  that  obtained  by  the  B.P.  process,  but  I  think  it  is 
more  ethereal  and  certainly  more  acid.  It  is  now  neutralized  with  milk 
■of  lime,  and  solution  of  chloride  of  calcium  added.  The  nearly  pure 
ether  separates,  floats  on  the  surface,  the  heavy  liquid  below  contains 
