4 Dr. Stenhouse o» the Products of the Distillatioji 



salicylite and benzoate of copper, Dr. Ettling had obtained 

 among other products two neutral crystalline bodies — that 

 from benzoate of copper having a smell very much resembling 

 the odour of the geranium. Being quite unaware that Dr. 

 Ettling had, subsequently to the publication of that notice, 

 analysed the compound from the benzoate of copper, I was 

 induced a few months ago also to prepare a quantity of that 

 substance and to subject it to examination. Having men- 

 tioned this circumstance to Dr. Ettling, he very kindly fur- 

 nished me with the subjoined account of his experiments, and 

 at the same time requested me to prosecute the examination 

 of the subject. 



" A quantity of benzoate of copper consisting of a mass of 

 small, slightly soluble needles of a greenish-blue colour, ob- 

 tained by mixing hot solutions of benzoate of potash and sul- 

 phate of copper, was heated in a retort placed in an air-bath 

 to about the temperature of 220^ R. The retort was furnished 

 with a tubulated receiver and a pneumatic apparatus to collect 

 any gases which might be evolved. The salt became first 

 brown and then of a reddish copper colour, giving off at the 

 same time an oily matter, a portion of which crystallized in 

 the neck of the retort, while a light oil passed into the receiver, 

 where on cooling it also became filled with crystals. A gas 

 passed into the pneumatic apparatus, which, as it rendered 

 lime-water turbid and was absorbed by potash, was evidently 

 carbonic acid. A second portion of gas was also evolved, 

 which burned with a blue flame and was not absorbed by pot- 

 ash. It was not more closely examined. The mass of salt in 

 the retort diminished to about half its bulk, and when still 

 more highly heated gave out an oily liquid, which on cooling 

 crystallized in needles. If the distillation was carried still 

 further, the retort was found to contain a little of a brownish- 

 coloured salt of copper mixed with a quantity of metallic 

 copper. 



" The solid portion yielded by the distillation had a greenish 

 colour, was hard, brittle, melted readily, and it, as well as the 

 more fluid portion, had very much the smell of naphthaline, 

 though also faintly reminding one of tlie odour of red gera- 

 nium. When the products of the distillation were heated 

 with a weak solution of potash, a portion of them dissolved, 

 forming a yellow solution, while another swam on the surface 

 of the liquid as a colourless oil, which on cooling became a 

 crystalline mass resembling paraffine. This crystalline portion 

 was repeatedly treated with alkaline leys, by which operation 



