NITROUS ETHER, or NITRITE OF OXIDE OF ETHYL, is represented by the formula or Ae being the symbol for ethyl It is a pale yellow fluid, having a specific gravity of 0.947, and evolving an agreeable odor of apples. On evaporation, it produces a great degree of cold, it boils at 62°, and it is very inflamma ble. It does not mix with water, but is readily miscible with alcohol. When kept in contact with water it soon decomposes, and an acid mixture of a very complicated char acter is formed. It may be obtained by mixing 1 part of starch and 10 of nitric acid in a capacious retort, which must be gently heated. The vapor of nitrous acid which is evolved by the action of the starch on the nitric acid, is conducted into alcohol, mixed with half its weight of water, contained in a two-necked bottle, which is to be plunged into cold water. The second neck of this bottle is connected with a good cooling appar atus; and the vapor in its passage through the alcohol with the oxide of ethyl, forms nitrous ether, which distils in a. continuous stream. This, which is known as Liebig's method, is the best process, but it is usually prepared direct action of nitric acid on alcohol, io which case the nitric acid is deoxidized bythe hydrogen and carbon of the ethyl of part of the alcohol.
The spirit of nitrous ether, or sweet spirit of niter, used in medicine, is a mixture of nitrous ether with about four times its volume of rectified spirit. Its specific gravity should not exceed 0.85. It is used, in conjunction with other medicines, as a diuretic, especially in the dropsy which follows scarlatina; and it is employed, in combination with acetate of ammonia and tartarized antimony, in febrile affections. The dose in febrile cases is from half a dram to a couple of arms, and if wo wish it to act as a diuretic, two or three drams should be given. It is a rather expensive medicine, and consequently is extremely liable to adulteration. In the new British pharmacoptela it is recommended that this substance should be directly obtained by the distillation of tibiae of soda (five ounces), sulphuric acid (four fluid ounces), and rectified spirit (two pints)—a process open to many practical objections.