48 F. F. Range on the Products [Jan. 



formed, which differ in their chemical properties from any 

 substances hitherto observed. 



BASES. 



1 . Cyanol. 



Cyanol (blue oil) is a volatile substance, almost destitute 

 of any peculiar smell, neutralizing acids and forming salts 

 which partly crystallize. It produces in a solution of mu- 

 riate of lime a blue colour, which is removed by an excess 

 of chlorine. The salts of cyanol dissolve in solutions of 

 muriate of lime, producing a fine violet blue colour, which 

 by free chlorine is converted into orange. They impart to 

 the colourless solution of the white pith of the elder and 

 pine wood, an intense yellow colour, which is not destroyed 

 by chlorine, at least under the circumstances in which other 

 organic colours disappear Thus, a piece of Turkey red 

 cotton speedily loses its colour, when after being moistened 

 with oxalic or tartaric acid it is immersed in a solution of 

 muriate of lime. Paper, cotton, linen, wool, and silk are 

 not coloured yellow. The effect of the salts of cyanol in 

 colouring pine wood is so strong, that a drop containing 

 only ^^o of cyanol produces a distinct yellow colour in the 

 wood. The yellow colouring is not imparted to the fibrous 

 part of the wood, but to a peculiar matter in the wood 

 which also exists in other species of trees. The resin has 

 no connexion with this colouring power. 



The oil of pit coal contains a great quantity of cyanol, 

 whose presence is easily detected by mixing 1 part of oil 

 with a solution of 20 water and 1 part muriate of lime. 

 The oil becomes dark red and the solution assumes a blue 

 colour, similar in intensity and appearance to the moist 

 ammonia sulphate of copper. It is changed by the muriate 

 of lime into an acid which forms compounds possessing 

 a blue colour. 



Cyanol is very readily detected by muriatic acid, when 

 coal oil is mixed with the latter in the proportion of 3 

 volumes to 1 . The acid becomes brown ; and a splinter of 

 fir wood introduced into the solution, has the yellow colour 

 already described communicated to it, thereby indicating 

 the presence of cyanol. 



2. Pyrrol. 



Pyrrol (red oil) in a pure state is a gaseous body possess- 

 ing the odour of turnips, (markochen r'ubenj and may be 



