^O* Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



better light tlian wax, and improves spermaceti for candles ; it may 

 be extremely useful as a cement, because it is not acted upon either by 

 acids or alkalies ; it may also serve to grease carriage-wheels, &c. 



Eupion is best prepared by the following process : — Put into an 

 iron retort 14 pints (imperial) of fresh rough animal tar, prepared 

 from flesh, bones, hoofs or horns, and draw off 8f pints j redistil and 

 draw off only 5^ pints ; shake it carefully, and by small portions, witii 

 J 8 ounces (avoirdupois) of sulphuric acid. By this there are obtained 

 a red solution, and a subtile transparent liquid of a bright yellow co- 

 lour ; the latter being separated, is to be mixed in a retort with an 

 equal weight of sulphuric acid, and three fourths are to be distilled. 

 The colourless product is to be washed with a solution of potash, and 

 after being some time digested, the oil is to be separated and again 

 distilled with half its weight of sulphuric acid ; distil again, wash with 

 a hot solution of potash ; decant, and then distil very slowly with pure 

 water until three fourths pass into the receiver,— there then remains 

 some paraffin still mixed with the eupion. The distilled eupion is to 

 be put over sulphuric acid in the air-pump for twenty-four hours ; it 

 is then to be distilled with a few grains of potassium, which occasions 

 it to deposit some brown flocks of a red brown ccjlour, which are to 

 be separated ; when alter repeating this treatment it is no longer 

 rendered turbid, but leaves the potassium of a metallic whiteness, it 

 is to be decanted; it is not pure unless it burns without smoke, and 

 its density exceeds 0740. The eupion is separated from the pa- 

 raffin either by distillation with a large quantity of water, because it 

 is rather more volatile than paraffin ; or by spirits of wine, in which 

 paraffin is insoluble ; or by extreme ccld, which makes it crystallize. 

 The distillation with water, when only the first portions are received, 

 renders it entirely free from paraffin. By the processes which have 

 been described, and with slight modifications, eupion is obtained from 

 vegetable tar, and paraffin from animal tar. 



The properties of eupion are the following : Colourless, transparent 

 as water, liquid even at 4° Fahr., tasteless, inodorous, unalterable in 

 the air, is a non-conductor of electricity, has no effect upon litmus or 

 turmeric papers, is as fluid as absolute alcohol, forms drops at 68° Fahr. 

 0*296 of the size of those of water, spreads very readily on glass, but 

 rises in a glass tube only to 0'6207 of the height that water does, forms 

 a spot upon bibulous paper, which disappears in time, but more rea- 

 dily when heated. Its density is 0740; from 66° Fahr. to 336°, 

 increases about one fifth, boils at 336°, and voiatilizes if it be pure. 

 It does not inflame in a cup by a taper, but readily when heated in 

 aplatina spoon, is readily fired by a match, with a bright flame without 

 smoke, even when the flame is as long as the hand. 



Eupion is perfectly insoluble both in cold water and hot; 1 00 parts 

 of absolute alcohol at 65° Fahr. dissolve 33 parts ; but on cooling, a 

 great part of the eupion separates. These two fluids when hot mix 

 in all proportions. ^Ether mixed with a tenth of eupion forms a clear 

 solution, but with five times that quantity it is turbid; it becomes 

 clear, however, on standing, during which water evaporates from the 

 aether : acetic aether dissolves about one third of its weight of eupion : 

 sulphuret of carbon, oil of turpentine, naphtha^ oil of almonds and of 



