CHEMISTRY OF A PINT OF KEROSENE. 59 



mon metallic thermometer. The temperature will 

 run up to over 200. By gradually adding cold 

 water, bring down the temperature of the water to 

 110, and then pour into the bowl a spoonful of the 

 kerosene, and apply a lighted match. If it takes 

 fire, the article should be rejected as dangerous ; if 

 not, it may be used with a confident feeling of its 

 safety. In this experiment, which is the most sim- 

 ple that can be devised, the fire test is directly ap- 

 plied. Upon practical trials it has been found to 

 afford correct results. 



There are severe enactments, both state and 

 national, against the sale of kerosene of a danger- 

 ous character; but, as in the case of many other 

 articles subjected to adulterating processes, the 

 fear of the law does not deter from sophistication. 

 Kerosene is largely mixed with the cheap naphthas 

 to reduce the cost, and thus the lives of consumers 

 are jeopardized. 



We would caution our readers against another 

 form of fraud and deception. There are many men 

 in all the large towns and cities, engaged in com- 

 pounding and vending burning fluids under various 

 names, alleged to be safer, or cheaper, or better, 

 than kerosene. Chemica] examination of many of 

 these fluids proves them to be either dangerous mix- 

 tures of oil and naphtha, or kerosene with a little 

 coloring matter added. Avoid all "chemical oils," 



