PART III.

Preparations of Ether.

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alcohol first passing over unaltered before the ether wasformed, the specific gravity of which was - 768 ; but the gravityof the above mixture is '81 6, showing that it contains consider-ably less ether in combination with the alcohol.

Medical properties and uses. — It may be used for the samepurposes as the ether; but it is necessarily much less active.The close is from fjj. to fjiij. An useful gargle for slight in-flammation of the fauces is prepared by adding f5J. of thisspirit to ffvj. of barley-water, sweetened with feiv« of syrup ofmarsh-mallows.

SPIRITUS iETHERIS SULPHURICI COMPOSI-TUS. Lond. Compound Spirit of Ether.'

" Take of spirit of sulphuric ether, a pint; ethereal oil,two Jluid drachms. Mix them."

This is intended as a substitute for the Anodyne Liquor ofHoffmann; and, besides being stimulant and antispasmodic, itis supposed to possess anodyne properties. It is an useful ad-dition to tincture of opium, when given with the intention ofprocuring sleep; and often prevents the opium from excitingthe nausea which it is apt to produce in some habits. Thedose is from fjfg. to fjij. in any appropriate vehicle.

iETHERNITROSUS. Dub. Nitrous Ether.

" Take of nitrate of kali, dried and coarsely powdered, apound and a half; sulphuric acid, a pound; rectified spirit ofwine, nineteenJhcid ounces. Put the nitrate of kali into a tu-bulated retort, placed in a bath of cold water, and pourupon it in small quantities, and at intervals, the sulphuricacid and the spirit previously mixed together, and allow themixture to become cold. Without any external heat, or atleast a very gentle one, (such as may be communicated by theaddition of a little tepid water to the bath,) an ethereal liquorwill begin to distil. In a short time the heat of the retort willspontaneously increase, and a considerable ebullition take place,which must be moderated by adding some cold water to thebath. The receiver must also be kept cool with water orsnow, and furnished with a proper apparatus for transmittingthe very elastic vapour (arising from the mixture with greatforce if the heat be too much increased) through a pound ofrectified spirit of wine in a phial which is to be kept cold.

" The ethereal liquor, thus spontaneously distilled, is tobe put into a glass phial, fitted with a ground glass stopper,and as much subcarbonate of kali, dried, and in powder, isto be added as is necessary to neutralize the acid, closing thephial after each addition of the kali, and determining the neu-

1 Alcool iihireux par I'acide sulphurique (F.) Atherischer Schwefelegeru Liqum GAnodino minerale dell' Hoffmann (/.)