This is required for very few of our preparations. It may be purchased from the manufacturing chemists, and examined as follows: -

Characters and Tests. - A colourless, very volatile and inflammable liquid, of a well-known and characteristic odour, boiling below 105° Fabr. Specific gravity between 0.735 and 0.720, the latter representing perfectly pure ether. Mixed with an equal volume of water, shaken well, and allowed to stand, nine-tenths will separate and float on the water undissolved. It evaporates without residue. It should be kept in capped and well-stoppered bottles.