46 Dr. T. Thomson on Pyroxylic Spirit afid its Compounds. 



acid, had a sharp and biting taste, and reddened Htmus, 

 doubtless because not quite free from muriatic acid. It was 

 analyzed by Mr. Kane, who obtained 



Carbon 21-52 



Hydrogen 1'56 



Oxygen 10-35 



Chlorine 66-57 



100-00 

 From these numbers we might deduce the following for- 

 mula : 



2| atoms carbon = 2-0625 or per cent. 20-75 

 1 atom hydrogen = 0-1250 — — 1-25 

 1 atom oxygen = 1-0000 — — 10-10 

 U atom chlorine = 6-7500 — — 67*90 



9-9375 100 



But this formula is so unlikely to represent the true constitu- 

 tion of a body, that it would be wrong to adopt it without 

 further investigation. 



"When pyroxylic spirit is distilled with a solution of chlo- 

 rite of lime (or bleaching powder) a liquid is obtained, to 

 which Dumas, who investigated its nature, has given the 

 name chloroform. It has been already described in a pre- 

 ceding chapter. 



It was discovered about the same time by MM. Soubeiran* 

 and Liebigtj by distilling a mixture of alcohol and solution 

 of chlorite of lime. But Dumas assures us that its nature is 

 the same, whether we employ alcohol or pyroxylic spirit \. 



Pyroxylic spirit dissolves potash and soda. The solutions 

 are similar to those of alcohol. They become brown-coloured 

 when exposed to the action of the atmosphere. 



When pyroxylic spirit, concentrated as much as possible, 

 is brought in contact with barytes, it becomes hot, dissolves 

 the base, and remains combined with it. To obtain the so- 

 lution pure, we must add barytes in powder to absolute pyr- 

 oxylic spirit, filter the solution, and evaporate i7i vacuo. A 

 crystalline compound remains, composed of 



Barytes 70-5 or 1 atom = 9-5 



Pyroxylic spirit 29-5 or 2 atoms = 4< 



100 13-5 



When this compound is cautiously distilled, it furnishes a 

 liquid similar to pyroxylic spirit; then melts and yields an 



* Ann. de Chem.etde P/ivs.,\hin. 131. 



t Ibid. xlix. 146. X J bid. Iviii. 16. 



