THE 



LONDON AND EDINBURGH 



PHILOSOPHICAL MAGAZINE 



AND 



JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 



[THIRD SERIES.] 



NOVEMBER 1836. 



LXIII. On a volatile Liqtiid j)^'ocured from Caoidchotw by 

 destncctive Distillation : with Remarks on some other em- 

 pyreumatic Substances. By William Gregory, M.D., 

 F.R.S.E., Lecturer on Chemistry.* 

 QOME years ago a patent was taken out by Mr. Enderby, 

 ^ of London, for the production of a volatile inflammable 

 liquid by the distillation of caoutchouc. This liquid possesses 

 very remarkable properties. As prepared by Mr. Enderby, 

 it is colourless, very fluid, has no taste, but a peculiar iethereal 

 smell. Its specific gravity is very low, being = 0*680, and 

 it boils at a temperature below 100° Fahrenheit. As no ex- 

 amination of this remarkable substance has yet been pub- 

 lished, I venture to offer the results of some experiments 

 which I have made on it at intervals during the last two 

 years. 



As Mr. Enderby purifies his oil by rectification alone, my 

 first object was to push that process as far as possible, so as 

 to get rid of the less volatile matters which might be present. 

 By successive rectifications, carried on without ebullition at 

 about 80° to 90° Fahr., I at last obtained a liquid having the 

 specific gravity of 0-666 at 60° Fahr., approaching very nearly 

 to that of the eupion of Dr. Reichenbach, obtained by the 

 distillation of oil, viz. 0"655. The fiew liquid, however, is 

 not eupion, for it boils at about 90° Fahr., and is instantly 



• Communicated by the Author. 

 Third Seiies. Vol. 9. No. 55. Nov. 1836. 2 P 



