236 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



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Vulcanized Oils. A patent has been taken out in England, by Alexander 

 Parkes, for treating oils with the chloride of sulphur, which changes their 

 character, rendering them similar to vulcanized india rubber, and insoluble in 

 mineral naphtha and sulphuret of carbon. He heats about 2 parts, by weight, 

 of the chloride of sulphur with 8 parts, by weight, of oil, up to about 250, 

 when the combination of the two is effected. This vulcanized oil, it is 

 stated, can be mixed with gutta percha or india rubber, to cheapen the 

 manufactured articles made from these materials. 



Oil for Painting. P. Gontier, of Paris, has taken out a patent for treating 

 poppy, linseed, and other oil for mixing with paint, by adding to these oils, 

 when slightly heated in a caldron over a fire, sulphuric acid, resin, man- 

 ganese, and litharge. One pound of oil of vitriol and 1 pound of manganese 

 are sufficient for 10 gallons of oil and 10 pounds of resin. They must be 

 added cautiously, and stirred well for three or four hours. 



Products of Castor Oil. A patent has been obtained by Wilson and Pa} r ne, 

 of London, for an improvement in treating oils to obtain a new elastic pro- 

 duct. Castor oil is placed in a still, and the temperature of it is raised to 600- 

 or 650 Pah. superheated steam being used in heating. As the act of dis- 

 tillation goes on at this heat, it is found that when about one half of the con- 

 tents of the still have passed over in the form of fat acids and glycerine, a 

 few drops of a milky- white substance also come over. The heat is then cut 

 off, and the distillation stopped. On the interior of the still there is now 

 found a peculiar spongy elastic matter, which has an offensive odor, which is 

 removed by a current of low pressure steam, and washing with a solution of 

 the carbonate of soda. We understand that this elastic product possesses 

 some of the qualities of India rubber. 



A Mr. Durant, of London, has also obtained a patent within the past year 

 for extracting a very clear oil from the castor beans. The outer skin is first 

 removed by rollers previous to the crushing and heating of them. This sim- 

 ple improvement produces a clear and fine oil, which it is proposed to call 

 "castrine," the outer cuticle being then applicable for manure and other 

 purposes. By this process the thicker portion, or stearine, which is now lost 

 (by being mixed and left with the outer skin or cuticle), is obtained, and the 

 oleaginous or thin portion of the oil is not colored and deteriorated. 



Oil from Petroleum and Goal. Mr. Bancroft, of Liverpool, has lately 

 patented a method of manufacturing oil from petroleum, or earth oil, found 

 in Burmah and other countries of the East, which process is as follows : 

 The crude petroleum, or earth oil as imported, is placed in a cast iron still 

 of ordinary construction, to the centre or body of which a spiral worm of 

 copper is fixed, attached to a steam pipe passing out of the side near the 

 bottom, and communicating with an ordinary steam boiler capable of resisting 

 a pressure of 60 Ibs. to the square inch. The copper worm should be open 

 at the top, and terminate one foot above the cylindrical part of the still, or 

 one foot within the dome. The still should be supplied with longitudinal 

 copper condensing pipes placed in an iron or wooden cistern lined with lead, 

 which is to be supplied also with a steam pipe communicating with the boiler, 

 and filled with water, The still being charged with the crude petroleum, the 



