216
ELEMENTS OF MATERIA MEDICA.
hydrogen, or that some oxygen of the nitric acid unites with portionsof hydrogen and carbon of the alcohol. The acetic acid re-acting onsome alcohol produces acetic ether, which distils over. The origin of themalic (oxalhydric ?) acid is probably similar to that of the acetic acid.The oxalic acid is produced by the union of a portion of the oxygen ofthe nitric acid with some carbon of the alcohol.
The following diagram will explain some of the more essential changesattending the production of hyponitrous ether.
2 eq. Alcohol
5 eq. Nitr' .A' 1 . 270
! eq. Alcohol . 46 •
(2 eq. Oxygen 1646 )2eq. Hydrog. 2)4 eq. Hydrog. 4( 4 eq. Carb. . 24>-4 eq. Oxygen 32i 8 eq. Oxygen 641 4 eq. Oxygen 32i 6 - "-
‘k eq. uxygen oz6 eq. Oxygen 483 eq. Oxygen 241 eq. Nitrog. 14
3 eq. Nitrog. 421 eq. Nitrog. 14
4 eq. Carb. . 24
5 eq. Hydrog. 51 eq. Hydrog. 11 eq. Oxygen 8
-1 eq. Hyponitrs.Ad.S #—1 eq. Ether . 37
1 eq. Nitrous Acid . . 463 eq. Binox. Nitrog. . 90
1 eq. Hyponitr*. Ether 75
1 eq. Water. 9
Properties. —Spirit of nitric ether, (Ph . L.,) is a colourless limpidliquid, having a fragrant ethereal odour somewhat analogous to that ofripe apples, and a pungent, aromatic, sweetish, acidulous taste. Itssp. gr. should not exceed 0‘834. It is very volatile, producing muchcold by its evaporation. It is very inflammable, and bums with awhitish flame. By keeping, it becomes powerfully acid, and thenstrongly reddens litmus, and produces effervescence with the alkilinecarbonates. It dissolves in alcohol and water in all proportions.
Characteristics. —It is principally distinguished by its peculiarodour, its inflammability, its lightness, and its miscibility with water.The spirit of nitric ether of the shops usually strikes a deep olive colourwith the prqtpsulghaitw of^ iron, thereby indicating the presence o: bi-noxide of nitrogen, A and produces, with tincture of guaiacum, a blue tint,which passes through various shades of green : this last effect probablydepends on the presence of nitrous or nitric acid. These effects are netinvariably produced; as w r hen spirit of nitric ether has been long lep>t,though it may still possess the proper odour.
Purity. —This compound is most extensively adulterated by mixhg itwith rectified spirit and water. The fraud is recognized by an attentiveexamination of the flavour of this substance, and by taking the sp. gr. ofthe liquid. If the sp. gr. exceed 0’834, the presence of water maj besuspected. Nitric or nitrous acid may be suspected, if the liquid posseissthe power of strongly reddening litmus, and of causing effervescence ivitththe alkaline carbonates. Some years since, large quantities of spiritof wine, flavoured with nitric ether in order to evade the payment of theduty on spirit, were brought to England from Ireland , under the nane ofspirit of nitric ether.
Composition.— The spirit of nitric ether of the Pharmacopoeia is amixture of hyponitrous ether , alcohol , and water: the relative proporiomshave not been ascertained.