260 
ALCOHOL  FROM  BICARBURETTED  HYDROGEN  GAS. 
acid  contained  in  a  Liebig's  tube.  A  portion  of  the  gas  escaped 
the  action  of  this  fluid,  and  this  portion  was  absorbed  by  shaking 
with  ordinary  sulphuric  acid. 
3.  defiant  gas  was  prepared  by  the  action  of  mercury  and 
muriatic  acid  upon  its  iodide, — 
'  C4  H4  P+4Hg=,  C4  H4-|-2Hg2 1, 
and  the  gas  was  absorbed  by  sulphuric  acid. 
The  sulphuric  acid  combined  with  the  gas  in  each  of  these  three 
operations,  was  saturated  by  carbonate  of  baryta  or  lime  ;  in 
this  manner  sulphovinates  were  produced. 
6.  The  baryta  salt  analysed  presented  the  ordinary  composi- 
tion,— 
,  S2  O6,  C4  H4,  HO,  BaO+2Aq. 
Judging  from  its  properties  and  crystalline  form,  this  salt  is 
identical  with  the  variety  of  sulphovinate  of  baryta  which  is 
stable  at  212°  F. 
7.  When  distilled  with  acetate  of  soda,  it  furnished  acetic 
ether;  with  butyrate  of  potash,  butyric  ether;  with  benzoate  of 
potash,  benzoic  ether,  C14  IT6  O4,  04  H4.  The  latter  boils  at  410° 
F.  It  was  analysed.  Treated  with  potash  at  212°  F.,  it  repro- 
duced benzoic  acid  and  alcohol.  Benzoic  ether  was  also  prepared 
with  salts  produced  by  each  of  the  three  preceding  operations. 
8.  The  fuming  acid  employed  in  the  second  operation  furnished 
a  stable  and  deliquescent  calcareous  salt  (isethionate),  which  did 
not  yield  to  benzoic  ether.  This  last  observation  confirms  those 
of  M.  Magnus. 
9.  100  litres  of  coal-gas  were  treated  with  iodine,  and  the 
product  obtained  heated  with  a  watery  solution  of  potash.  In 
this  manner  about  i  litre  of  pure  olefiant  gas  was  obtained,  which 
produced  by  its  combustion  2  vols.  CO2,  absorbing  3  vols,  of 
oxygen.  This  gas  was  -absorbed  by  sulphuric  acid  by  means  of 
3000  shocks  ;  it  furnished  crystallized  sulphovinate  of  baryta, 
and  afterwards  benzoic  ether  ;  the  latter,  treated  with  potash, 
reproduced  benzoic  acid  and  a  substance  possessing  the  properties 
of  alcohol. 
Bicarburetted  hydrogen,  therefore,  whatever  may  be  its  origin, 
produces  ethers  and  alcohol.  This  is  the  first  time  that  alcohol 
has  been  obtained  without  the  agency  of  fermentation. — Chem. 
Gaz.,  Feb.  1855-  " 
