OLEFIANT GAS OLIVA. 



299 



oricntdlische Reisebeschreibung, Sleswic, 1 647 ; often 

 reprinted), with translations of the Gnlistan of the 

 Persian poet Saadi, and of the fables of Lokman. 

 In 1651, he was received intc the Fruit-bearing 

 Society, under the name of fielbertthmte (much 

 famed), and died in 1671. 



OLEFIANT GAS was discovered at Haarlem, in 

 1796, by the associated Dutch chemists, and re- 

 ceived its present name from its property of giving 

 rise to a substance resembling oil, when mingled 

 with chlorine (oleum fio]. It is sometimes called 

 bi-carbureted ', or per-carbureted hydrogen, and hydro- 

 gurel of carbon. It is prepared by mixing in a capa- 

 cious retort six measures of strong alcohol with six- 

 teen of concentrated sulphuric acid, or one measure 

 of common alcohol and three of ordinary oil of vi- 

 triol, and heating the mixture over an argand lamp. 

 The acid soon acts upon the alcohol ; effervescence 

 ensues, and olefiant gas passes over. At the com- 

 mencement of the process, the olefiant gas is mixed 

 with a little ether ; but in a short time the solution 

 becomes dark, the formation of ether declines, and 

 the odour of sulphurous acid begins to be perceptible ; 

 and towards the close of the operation, though ole- 

 fiant gas is still the chief product, sulphurous acid is 

 freely disengaged, some carbonic acid is formed, and 

 charcoal in large quantities deposited. The olefiant 

 gas is collected over water or mercury. The greater 

 part of the ether condenses spontaneously ; and the 

 sulphurous and carbonic acids may be separated by 

 washing the gas with lime-water or potash. The 

 olefiant gas, in this process, is derived solely from 

 the alcohol ; and its production is owing to the strong 

 affinity of sulphuric acid for water. Alcohol is com- 

 posed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen ; and from 

 the proportion of its elements it is inferred to be a 

 compound of eight parts, or one equivalent of oxy- 

 gen gas united with one equivalent, or nine parts of 

 water. It is only necessary, therefore, to obtain 

 olefiant gas, to deprive alcohol of the water which is 

 essential to its constitution ; and this is effected by 

 sulphuric acid. Olefiant gas is a colourless, elastic 

 fluid, which has no taste, and scarcely any odour when 

 pure. It extinguishes flame, is unable to support 

 the respiration of animals, and is set on fire when a 

 lighted candle is presented to it, burning slowly, 

 with a dense white light. With a proper quantity 

 of oxygen gas, it forms a mixture which may be 

 kindled by flame or the electric spark, and which 

 explodes with great violence. On conducting this 

 experiment with care, it is found that, for each mea- 

 sure of olefiant gas, precisely three of oxygen are re- 

 quired, when the mixture wholly disappears, giving 

 rise to a deposition of water and two measures of 

 carbonic acid. Olefiant gas, by weight, consists of 



Carbon, ..... 25-418 



Hydrogen, ..... 42'36 



When olefiant gas is mingled with chlorine in the 

 proportion of one measure of the former to two of 

 the latter, they form a mixture which takes fire on 

 the approach of flame, and which burns rapidly, 

 with formation of muriatic acid gas, and deposition 

 of a large quantity of charcoal. But if the gases 

 are allowed to remain at rest after being mixed 

 together, a very different action ensues. The 

 chlorine, instead of decomposing the olifiant gas, 

 enters into direct combination with it, and a yellow 

 liquid, like oil, is generated. This substance is 

 sometimes called chloric ether ; but the term hydro- 

 carburet of chlorine, as indicating of its composition, 

 is more appropriate. To obtain it pure, and in a dry 

 state, it should be well washed with water, and then 

 distilled from chloride of calcium. As thus purified, 

 it is a colourless, volatile liquid, of a peculiar sweet- 

 ish taste and ethereal odour. Specific gravity, 



1-2201. It boils at 152 Fahr., and may be distilled 

 without change. Its composition is 



Chlorine. 

 Olefiant gas, 



2-5 

 09722 



36 one proportion 



14 one proportion. 



From an observation made by professor Silliman, 

 that the chloric ether is readily soluble in alcohol, 

 imparting to it its peculiar sweet taste, and forming 

 with it a grateful diffusive stimulant, Mr Guthrie, of 

 Sackett's Harbour, has been led to attempt the 

 manufacture of this etherized spirit in a more econo- 

 mical way, in which he has fully succeeded. The 

 following is his process : Into a clean copper still 

 put three pounds of chloride of lime and two gal- 

 lons of alcohol, of specific gravity -844, and distil. 

 Watch the process, and when the product ceases to 

 come highly sweet and aromatic, remove and cork it 

 up closely in glass vessels. The remainder of the 

 spirit should be distilled off for- a new operation. 

 The quantity of ethereal spirit afforded is one gallon. 

 So far as the effects of this new stimulant have been 

 tried, it is found to be singularly grateful, both to 

 the palate and stomach, producing promptly a lively 

 flow of animal spirits, and leaving, after its opera- 

 tion, little of that depression consequent to the use 

 of ardent spirit. Olefiant gas unites also with iodine, 

 by exposing it to the vapour of iodine in the direct 

 rays of the sun. The hydrocarburet of iodine thus 

 formed is a solid, white, crystalline body, which has 

 a sweet taste and aromatic odour. It consists of 



Iodine, 

 Olefiant gas, 



124, or one proportion ; 

 14, or one proportion. 



A hydrocarb?tret of bromine is also formed by adding 

 one part of hydrocarburet of iodine to two parts of 

 bromine, contained in a glass tube. Instantaneous 

 reaction ensues, attended with disengagement of 

 caloric and a hissing noise ; and two compounds, 

 the bromuret of iodine and a liquid hydrocarburet 

 of bromine, are generated. The latter, after being 

 washed with a solution of potash, is colourless, 

 heavier than water, very volatile, of a penetrating 

 ethereal odour, and an exceedingly sweet taste, 

 which it imparts to water. This compound is also 

 formed by letting a drop of bromia fall into a flask 

 full of olefiant gas. 



OLEIC ACID. When potash and hog's lard are 

 saponified, the margarate of the alkali separates in 

 the form of a pearly- looking solid, while the fluid fat 

 remains in solution, combined with the potash. 

 When the alkali is separated by tartaric acid, the 

 oily principle of fat is obtained, which is purified 

 by saponifying it again and again, recovering two 

 or three times, by which means the whole of the 

 margarine is separated. As this oil has the property 

 of saturating bases, and forming neutral compounds, 

 it is called an acid. It is an oily fluid, without taste 

 and smell ; specific gravity 0-014. 100 of the oleic 

 acid saturate, 1658 of potash, 10 11 of soda, 7'52 

 of magnesia, 14-83 of zinc, and 13 93 of peroxide of 

 copper. 



OLERON LAWS; laws relating to maritime 

 affairs, and so called because made by king Richard 

 I., when at the isle of Oleron, in Aquitaine. See 

 Commercial Law. 



OLIBANUM. See Frankincense. 



OLIGARCHY (from ox/yoj, few, and a?**); that 

 species of aristocracy where the supreme power 

 rests with a few individuals the worst of all 

 governments. 



OLIVA ; a Cistercian abbey, not far from 

 Daritzic, memorable for the peace concluded there, 

 May 3, 1660, which terminated the war between 

 Sweden, Poland, the emperor, and Brandenburg. 

 John Casimir, king of Poland, renounced his claims 



