GUN-COTTON

explosive substance; ' lose heuarnitrate, the washed and dried product obtained by soaking cotton wool in a mixture of three parts of con cent rated sulphuric acid and one part of ntirie acid (Sp. Gr., 1.5) for twenty four hours. It is insoluble in a of alcohol and ether. When lighted, it burns quietly and quickly without smoke. When fused with a detonator it explodes with violence. Gun-cotton forms two non-explosive compounds, colloid on and celluloid. See Exriosivus,