392 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



The following are the results of five distillations 



In Nos. 1 and 2, the temperature never rose to ebullition. The 

 increase is probably from absorption of oxygen from the atmo- 

 sphere. No. 3 was made with less care, and the matter sometimes 

 boiled; hence more gas was produced — more vapour carried off by 

 it, and less absorption from the atmosphere took place. Nos. 4 

 and 5 were made at a higher temperature. It follows, however, 

 from the experiments, that if oil be distilled at a temperature a 

 little below ebullition, with the contact of air and necessary pre- 

 caution, the product equals the weight of the oil employed plus a 

 portion of carbon. 



By receiving the products in different portions, it is found that 

 besides water, §*c, two kinds of matter are obtained ; the first, 

 forming three-fourths of the oil employed, is of a consistence ap- 

 proaching that of lard ; yellowish and soft at first, but by de- 

 grees acquiring consistency, and becoming very white. At a 

 certain point of time, a yellow tint is again evident, which indi- 

 cates that the process will soon cease, unless the temperature be 

 increased: this product has a disagreeable, penetrating odour, and 

 is very acid. The second kind of matter is obtained by heating 

 the residue to ebullition ; it is liquid, of a yellow amber colour at 

 first, but by contact with air absorbs oxygen, and becomes of a 

 deep brown colour ; its odour is less disagreeable than that of the 

 first product. It has an analogy to the empyreumatic oil of amber, 

 and is sensibly acid. Further examination indicated the presence 

 of margaric, oleic, and sebacic acid; a volatile acid ; a volatile odo- 

 riferous principle not acid, and a fatty matter not acid. 



The first product was agitated, and left in contact with cold 

 water. The filtered liquor was acid and odoriferous when dis- 

 tilled ; the product was colourless, and contained the volatile acid 

 and the odorous principle. Being saturated with baryta and 

 distilled, the odorous principle passed into the recipient, and the 

 baryta salt being decomposed by phosphoric acid, gave the vola- 

 tile acid; it someAvhat resembles that obtained by M. Chevreul 

 from rancid fat, and by its volatility and oily aspect, when a hy- 

 drate resembles the phocenic and butyric acids. 



The residue left by distillation of the washing water was, upon 



