ACTION OF ETHER ON GALLS. 
41 
under which the experiments have been performed, as will be 
evident from the following observations. Ether as in the 
shops, may be under four different forms, viz: Ether com- 
bined with alcohol; ether combined with water; ether com- 
bined with both alcohol and water; and, finally, though very 
rarely, uncombined with either. 
By the action of the ordinary ether of the shops* (sp. gr. 
.750) upon powdered galls in a displacement filter, there re- 
sults a greenish-yellow liquid, which does not separate, on 
standing, into two portions. On agitating this solution with 
ten per cent, of water, it immediately becomes milky; and on 
repose, separates into two very distinct layers, the upper of 
which is etherial in its character, and of a light green color, 
while the lower is dense and syrupy, of a light yellowish- 
brown color. The addition of a larger amount of water causes 
the liquid to separate, on repose, into three distinct portions. 
The upper layer resembles the upper layer before spoken of, 
but considerably diminished in bulk, while the liquid below 
consists of two portions of nearly equal density. One portion 
is of a light yellow color, and aqueous appearance, the other 
yellowish-brown and syrupy. The specific gravity of these two 
portions so nearly coincide that the position of each will de- 
pend upon very slight causes. At first, the syrupy solution 
is above, from entangling within itself some portions of air or 
of the etherial liquid, but, in course of time, subsides, and falls 
through the other portion like a thick oil. A larger portion 
of water causes an increase of the aqueous portion, and a dimi- 
nution of the others. 
Each of the liquids by evaporation yields products of differ- 
ent degrees of purity, but all containing tannin. The product, 
from evaporating the etherial solution first mentioned, contains 
of course all the impurities dissolved out of the galls by 
* When eight measures of* this ether were shaken with four measures 
of water, the loss was two measures. The resulting ether again shaken 
with water, in the same proportion, lost half a measure. This last repre- 
sents the washed ether subsequently mentioned. 
VOL. VTIT. NO I. 6 
