A  V^ST* }  Spirit  of  Nitrous  Ether.  295 
and  4f.  so  generally  used  ?  The  expressions  are  not  recognized  by 
the  "  Pharmacopoeia  there  is  no  authority  upon  this  subject  in  any 
standard  work  with  which  I  am  acquainted.  They  are  merely  expres- 
sions, denoting  that  one  is  more  largely  adulterated  with  water  than 
the  other.  An  increase  or  decrease  of  etherial  strength  to  any  reason- 
able degree  will  not  materially  affect  the  cost  of  production,  and,  as 
far  as  I  can  learn,  water  in  \i.  nitre,  and  more  water  in  explains 
their  meaning. 
Undoubtedly,  manufacturers  accommodate  themselves  to  circum- 
stances. A  certain  profit  must  be  made.  •  The  nitre  is  adulterated  in 
accordance  with  the  price  at  which  it  is  sold.  But,  perhaps,  spirit  of 
nitrous  ether  may  be  adulterated  fifty  per  cent,  with  water,  and  not 
be  altered  in  regard  to  its  etherial  strength,  as  is  well  known,  the 
distillate  is  much  stronger  than  necessary,  and  is  directed,  by  the  U.  S. 
P.,  to  be  mixed  with  alcohol  to  reduce  its  strength.  Some  think  that 
water,  substituted  for  alcohol,  merely  changes  the  form  of  the  diluent ; 
that  alcohol  only  serves  the  purpose  of  a  diluent,  and  water  will  do 
as  well  and  be  inexpensive.  I  have  no  doubt  many  manufacturers 
conscientiously  believe  the  therapeutical  value  of  the  article  is  not 
altered  in  the  least  by  this  subterfuge.  Experiments,  instituted  by 
myself,  with  a  view  of  finding  if  this  really  is  the  case,  demonstrate, 
to  my  satisfaction,  that  the  addition  of  water  causes  the  spirit  to 
decompose  very  much  faster  than  is  the  case  where  the  U.  S.  P.  is 
adhered  to. 
Nitrous  ether,  as  is  well  known,  rapidly  disintegrates,  forming  acetic 
acid,  nitric  acid  and  other  products.  Alcohol  exerts  a  preservative 
influence  over  it  ;  water  hastens  the  change.  I  will  not  intrude  upon 
the  time  of  the  reader  by  giving  a  full  description  of  my  experiments. 
I  will  only  say  that  all  the  specimens  examined,  upon  the  market,, 
marked  and  3f.  spirit  of  nitrous  ether,  contained  water  and  were 
strongly  acid.  Upon  making  the  ether  perfectly  free  from  acid, 
distilling  it  in  an  atmosphere  of  carbonic  acid,  and  diluting  it  with 
water  and  alcohol,  in  different  proportions,  I  found  that  decomposition 
proceeded  faster  with  the  specimens  containing  water.  The  more 
water  the  more  rapid  the  change.  (See  also  Th^nard's  results,  in 
44  Gmelin's  Chemistry.") 
I  believe  manufacturers  should  take  the  matter  in  hand,  and  discoun- 
tenance the  substitution  of  even  the  smallest  amount  of  water,  and 
