CANDLE 



saponified ; that is, its stcarino and oleine become respectively stcnric and oleic acids, 

 and, as such, form compounds -with these bases. When by the action of an acid, such 

 as the sulphuric or muriatic, these combinations are decomposed, the fats reappear in 

 the altered form of stearic and oleic acids ; the former body being harder than tallow, 

 and of a texture somewhat like spermaceti, the latter body being fluid like oil. ' The 

 decomposition of the soap should be made," says the patentee, 'in a large quantity of 

 water, kept well stirred during the operation, and wanned by steam introduced in any 

 convenient way. When the mixture has been allowed to stand, the acid of the 

 tallow or fat will rise to the surface, and the water being drawn off, will carry the 

 alkaline or saline matters with it ; but, if the acids of the tallow should retain any 

 portion of the salts, fresh water may be thrown upon it, and' the whole well agitated, 

 until the acids have become perfectly free from the alkaline matters ; and when allowed 

 to cool, the acids will bo formed into a solid mass. The mass is now to be submitted 

 to considerable pressure in such an apparatus as is employed in expressing oil from 

 seeds ; when the liquid acid will run off in the form of a substance resembling oil, leaving 

 a solid matter, similar, in every respect, to spermaceti, which is fit for making candles.' 



The wick to be used in the manufacture of the stearine candles, and which forms 

 one of the features of this invention, is to be made of cotton yarn, twisted rather hard, 

 and laid in the same manner as wire is sometimes coiled round the bass strings of 

 musical instruments. For this purpose, straight rods or wires are to be procured, of 

 suitable lengths and diameters, according to the intended size of the candles about to 

 be made ; and these wires, having been covered with cotton coiled round thsm, as 

 described, are to be inserted in the candle moulds as the common wicks are ; and 

 when the candle is made, and perfectly hard, the wire is to be withdrawn, leaving a 

 hollow cylindrical aperture entirely through the middle of the candle. The first suc- 

 cessful application of the fat acid, or stearic candles, appears to have been made 

 by Messrs. Motard and Nilly. They made stearine candles, which they called 

 bougies de I'etoile,' for which the ' Society of Encouragement ' voted them their silver 

 medal. See STEARINK. 



Messrs. Hempbell and Blundell have given a very minute account of the process for 

 making palm-oil, stearic and margaric acids, in their specification of their patent for 

 this mode of manufacturing candles : 



1. Their first process is called crystallisation, which consists in pouring the melted 

 palm-oil into iron pans, allowing it to cool slowly, whereby, at about 75 F., the 

 oleine separates from the crystalline stearine and margarine. 



2. The concreted oil is subjected to the action of an hydraulic press, in order to 

 separate the oleine from the solid fats. 



3. This process is called oxidation. To 104 Ibs. of the stearine and margarine, 

 melted in an iron pan, about 121bs. of slaked and sifted quicklime are added, with 

 diligent stirring, during which the temperature is to be slowly raised to 240 F., and 

 so maintained for about 3 hours, till a perfect chemical combination takes place. 

 This is shown by the mass becoming thin, transparent, and assuming a glassy appear- 

 ance when it cools. The fire being now withdrawn, cold water is added, very gradually 

 at first, with brisk stirring till the whole mass falls into a state of powdery granulation, 

 when it is passed through a wire sieve to break down any lumps that may remain. 



4. Separation of the Stearic and Margaric Acids from the lime. For this purpose, 

 as much muriate of lime (chloride of calcium) is taken as will, with its equivalent 

 quantity of sulphuric acid (8 Ibs. of dry muriate of lime, require 7 Ibs. of the strongest 

 sulphuric acid), produce as much muriatic acid as will dissolve the lime combined with 

 the fat acids : and therefore that quantity of muriate of lime dissolved in water must 

 be treated with as much sulphuric acid as will saturate its lime and throw it down in 

 the state of sulphate of lime. Add the supernatant solution of muriatic acid in 

 such proportion to the stearate and margarato of lime as will rather more than saturate 

 the lime. Three pounds of muriatic acid diluted with 9 Ibs. of water are stated as 

 enough for 1 Ib. of lime. The mixture is to be let alone for 3 or 4 days, in order to 

 insure the complete separation of the lime from the fat acids ; and then the mixture 

 is heated so as to melt and cause them to separate in a stratum on the top of the 

 liquid. The resulting muriate of lime is drawn off into another tub, and decomposed 

 by its dose of sulphuric acid, so as to liberate its muriatic acid for a fresh operation. 



6. The fat acids, being well washed by agitation with hot water, are then set to cool 

 and crystallise, in which state they are subjected to the action of the hydraulic press,_at 

 a temperature of 75 F., whereat the margaric acid runs off from the solid stearic acid. 



6. Bleaching. The stearic acid is taken from the press, and exposed upon water in 

 large shallow vessels placed in the open air, where it is kept at the melting temperature 

 from 1 to 12 hours, stirring meanwhile, in order to promote the blanching action of the 

 atmosphere. The margaric acid is bleached in a similar manner in separate vessels. 



7. Refining Process. Tho fat is warmed again, and poured in a liquid state into an 



