Mr. T. Graham on the Refuse Lime of Qas-uoorks. 12\ 



tion of draconyle(thatis,in this case styrole), which can only be 

 removed by continued heating with hydrate of potash. The 

 hydrate of potash is here really unessenliai, the separation" 

 being produced by the action of the heat alone. The most' 

 certain and complete mode of separation would be to seal up 

 the mixture in a strong tube of glass, and heat it for an hour 

 at 200° C. in an oil-bath. On opening the tube, the dracyle 

 could be directly distilled from the metastyrole (draconyle). 



Although, on making a comparison of the two bodies, there 

 can be no doubt of their identity, it appeared desirable to^ 

 substantiate the assertion by direct experiment. The point 

 would be settled could there be obtained from dragon's blood 

 styrole or any of its compounds. We are indebted to Dr. 

 J. S. Muspratt for a quantity of the oil collected at 180° C. 

 in the rectification of the raw product. On submitting this 

 to a new distillation, dracyle alone at first passes over, then a 

 mixture of dracyle and styrole, and finally almost pure styrole 

 shortly before the metastyrole (draconyle) is formed in the re- 

 tort. With bromine it forms a crystalline body, possessing 

 all the properties of bromostyrole. Much weight however was 

 not to be attached to this reaction, as it was found that dracyle 

 also formed with bromine a compound which crystallized in 

 beautiful needles. To decide the point, a quantity of the fluid 

 was sealed in a strong tube and heated in an oil-bath to 200°' 

 C. On withdrawing it at the end of an hour, the contents 

 were not quite solid, but the original light, moveable fluid 

 was converted into a jelly of tenacious consistency, which, on 

 allowing the tube to cool, could scarcely be moved. The sty- 

 role had evidently contained a small quantity of dracyle. 



The appearance of styrole in the products of distillation of 

 storax and dragon's blood brings these two substances into 

 close relation with each other ; probably they both contain the 

 same, or a similar principle, which by distillation is decomposed 

 in a similar manner. Its isolation would be of great interest. 

 For this purpose however the analysis of the resins must be 

 conducted in a different manner than has hitherto been the 

 case. Cinnamic acid has not as yet been observed in dra- 

 gon's blood. ■ 



XVIII. Note on the useful applications of the Refuse Lime of 



Gas-'isoorks. By Thomas Graham, Esq.^ F.R.S.'^ 

 J HAD lately occasion to examine the lime as removed from 

 •■■ a dry lime purifier. The gas before reaching the latter 

 had been washed with dilute sulphuric acid, which accounts 



* Communicated by the Chemical Society; having been read April 7» 

 1845. 



