Elements of chemistry : in a new systematic order, containing all the modern discoveries. Illustrated by thirteen copperplates. / By Mr. Lavoisier, member of the Royal College of Surgeons, and of the Royal Physical Society of Edinburgh. Translated by R. Kerr.

  • Lavoisier, Antoine Laurent, 1743-1794.
Date:
1799
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Elements of chemistry : in a new systematic order, containing all the modern discoveries. Illustrated by thirteen copperplates. / By Mr. Lavoisier, member of the Royal College of Surgeons, and of the Royal Physical Society of Edinburgh. Translated by R. Kerr. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    narrow glafs veflel, A, (Plate VII. Fig. 17O? ftanding upon its ftalk P; the velTel, which is from twelve to fifteen lines diameter, is covered by a wet bladder, tied round its neck with fe- veral turns of ftrong thread ; for greater fecurity, a fecond bladder is fixed over the firft. The vefiel fhould be filled in fiich a manner with the ether, as not to leave the fmalleft portion of air between the liquor and the bladder. It is now placed under the recipient BCD of an air-pump, of which the upper part B is fitted with a lea- thern collar, through which pafles a wire EF, having its point F very fharp ; and in the fame receiver there is placed the barometer GH. The whole being thus difpofed, let the recipient be exhaufted, and then, by puftiing down the wire EF, a hole is made in the bladder: Immediate- ly the ether begins to boil with great violence, and is changed into an elaftic aeriform fluid, which fills the receiver. If the quantity of ether be fufficient to leave a few drops in the phial after the evaporation is finifhed, the elaftic fluid produced will fuftain the. mercury in the baro- meter attached to the air-pump, at eight or ten inches in winter, and from twenty to twenty- five premife here, that it is a very volatile and highly inflam- iruible liquor, having a confidcrably fmaller fpecific gra- vity than water, or e\'en fplrit of wine.——A.