MM. Bussenius and Hisenstiick on Petrol. 889 
190—200°, but could not be distilled without decomposition, 
and its purification was therefore very difficult. It is insoluble in 
water, but is partially soluble in alcohol and in ether. Its alco- 
holic solution yields a precipitate with chloride of gold, and with 
protonitrate and pernitrate of mercury. 
The most peculiar property of this oil, is that of causing a 
painful burn when it comes in contact with the hand, which 
heals with difficulty. The substance analysed was evidently not 
quite pure; but the results obtained agree best with the formula 
C* H* CIS?, which would represent a bisulphide of chlorinated 
ethyle. 
Bussenius and Eisenstiick* have investigated a rock oil which 
is obtained from some lias shales near Hanover. The crude oil is 
distilled with high-pressure steam, and the oil which distils over 
is treated with sulphuric acid, which removes from it a peculiar 
bituminous smell. Thus purified it comes into commerce ; 
but the oil for this investigation Bussenius and Eisenstiick 
took as it distils over with the steam, dried it, and submitted 
it to fractional distillation. It began to boil at 135°, and the 
temperature gradually rose to 270°. The distillate below 180° 
was further examined. _It was found to be composed mostly of 
hydrocarbons of the general formula ©,,.H,, and apparently 
ranging from C!* H!? to C!8 H!8, Notwithstanding very great 
labour, it was not found possible to isolate these; nor were the 
attempts to procure definite compounds from them more suc- 
cessful. 
Besides these hydrocarbons, the oil contained a new hydro- 
earbon, which the authors name petrol, which, however, they 
were not able to separate directly ; but when the oil was treated 
with a mixture of sulphuric and nitric acids, a crystalline 
nitro-compound of this body was produced: the other hydro- 
carbons, of which the oil is mostly composed, are not altered even 
by prolonged contact with this acid mixture. This nitro-com- 
pound was purified by repeated crystallizations from alcohol. The 
analyses of the substance gave for it the formula C!® H7 (NO*)5, 
that of the hydrocarbon from which it is derived being C1® H!°. 
The body was not quite pure, but probably contained some of 
the nitro-compound of a higher hydrocarbon, C!® H!”. 
Trinitropetrol crystallizes in large long needles; it sublimes 
at 175°. It is not soluble in water, and but slightly so in ether- 
alcohol, or in benzole ; but it dissolves in about 16 parts of boil- 
ing alcohol. When it is treated with alcohol it is converted into 
* Liebig’s Annalen, February 1860. 
Phil, Mag. 8, 4, Vol. 19, No. 128. May 1860. 2D 
