Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VI.djvu/760

 748 ETHER ETHERIDGE tense cold ; a few drops being made to cover a drop of water and then blown upon through a tube, the water is frozen directly. Ether itself, however, does not freeze, even at 166 below zero. Its boiling point varies with the nature of the vessel containing it ; at the or- dinary pressure it boils at 96'5. Its specific gravity at 68 is 0'713. It has neither an acid nor alkaline reaction ; but after being exposed to the air and light, a little acetic acid is formed in it. Ether unites with alcohol in all proportions. It takes up ^ of its volume of water, and water does the same of ether. If water dissolve more than this, the ether may be suspected of being adulterated with water and alcohol. The ultimate constituents of sul- phuric ether are carbon 4 equivalents, hydro- gen 10, and oxygen 1, or C 4 HioO. The radical ethyle consists of CaHs, and ether is regarded as its oxide, alcohol as its hydrated oxide. Various preparations of ether are largely em- ployed in medicine, surgery, and obstetrics. When administered by the stomach they are stimulant and antispasmodic. Some of them have been used in fevers and nervous affec- tions, and in other diseases to relieve spasm, nausea, and vomiting. Ether has also been administered to remove intestinal worms, which it is supposed to stupefy and cause to relax their hold. By far the most important preparation of ether is the concentrated sul- phuric ether, used by inhalation to produce anesthesia and muscular relaxation. It is in- dicated whenever these objects are to be at- tained, as in the case of operations, surgical and obstetric, in hernia, stricture, dislocations, fractures, neuralgia, tetanus, dysmenorrhoaa, colic, convulsions, feigned diseases, &c. The use of ether by inhalation to produce intoxica- tion and to relieve pulmonary distress was known long before its anaesthetic properties were discovered. These were first practically demonstrated Oct. 16, 1846, when sulphuric ether was administered by Dr. Morton at the Massachusetts general hospital in Boston to a patient upon whom an operation was performed by Dr. J. C. Warren. (See ANESTHETICS.) The action of ether is very similar to that of chlo- roform. It is possible to produce death by asphyxia with an overwhelming amount and reckless use of ether, although even this is not easy ; but it is difficult if not impossible to find a single instance of death which can fairly be attributed to the effects of the drug when used in a moderately careful manner. This is in marked contrast with the results obtained from the inhalation of chloroform, a fact at last acknowledged by many of those who have heretofore employed the latter. The deaths from chloroform, which experience shows to occur even with the most careful administration, and which appear to depend upon a rapidly de- veloped paralysis of the respiratory centres in the medulla oblongata or upon sudden paralysis of the heart, do not happen with ether. The best and simplest method of administering ether by inhalation is to pour it upon a sponge or towel, and then apply the latter over the mouth and nose. At first the sponge should be held a few inches from the mouth so as to allow a free mixture of atmospheric air; as soon as the patient gets over the primary sen- sation of choking or suffocation, fresh ether may be added and carried close to and over, but not on, the mouth and nose. Ether is so inflammable that a light should not be brought near to it. The inhalation may be kept up with safety for hours if necessary. Ether may be used externally to produce cooling by its rapid evaporation. If applied in the form of a spray, by means of an "atomizer," the skin may be frozen so that small surgical operations may be performed without pain. For this purpose, however, it has been nearly super- seded by a light coal oil of low boiling point, called rhigolene. Several of the ethers exist in fruits, giving them their peculiar flavors; and. the alcoholic liquors distilled from these fruits retain these principles in combination with some acid. Thus oenanthic ether com- bined with oenanthic acid forms the oil which contains the fragrance of brandy and some other spirits. ETHEREGE, or Etheridge, Sir George, an Eng- lish comic author, born about 1636, died about 1690. He studied at the university of Cam- bridge, travelled on the continent, abandoned law for literature, and became known as one of the wits and libertines of the reign of Charles II. His comedies entitled " The Com- ical Revenge, or Love in a Tub," " She Would if She Could," and "The Man of Mode, or Sir Fopling Flutter," are marked by a spright- lier and wittier dialogue than had before been displayed in the English comic drama. The author was an associate of Buckingham, Ro- chester, and other gay courtiers and pleasure- seekers of the time, and he introduced upon the stage the manners and characters with which he was familiar. He also wrote a few coarse songs and lampoons. He lived licentiously, wasted his fortune, and died by falling down stairs after a debauch. ETHERIDGE, John Wesley, an English clergy- man, born at Youngwoods, Isle of Wight, Feb. 24, 1804, died May 24, 1866. After a careful education, chiefly under his father's direction, he entered upon the work of the Methodist ministry, and in 1827 was stationed at Hull. Through failing health he became a supernu- merary in 1838. In 1843 he took up his resi- dence in Paris, and pursued his oriental studies through the aid furnished by the great public libraries of that city, and under the special in- struction of M. Quatremere and the abb6 Barges. In 1845 he became pastor of the mis- sion Methodist church in Boulogne. On the recovery of his health in 1847 he returned to England, and occupied some of the most im- portant stations of the British conference till his death. Among his numerous writings are : Horce Aramaicm (12mo, London, 1843); "The