360 CHLORINE. 



tain above 1 or 1 per cent of its bulk of chlorine, the odour is 

 by no means strong, and such a solution may be employed in 

 bleaching, without inconvenience to the workmen, although a 

 combination of chlorine with hydrate of lime, called the chloride 

 of lime, is generally preferred for that purpose. 



Chlorine does not in any circumstances unite directly with 

 oxygen, although several compounds of these elements can be 

 formed ; nor does it combine directly with nitrogen or carbon. 

 Chlorine and hydrogen gases may be mixed and preserved in 

 the dark without uniting, but combination is determined with 

 explosion by spongy platinum or the electric spark, or by expo- 

 sure to the direct rays of the sun ; even under the diffuse light 

 of day, combination of the gases takes place rapidly, but with- 

 out explosion. Chlorine indeed has a strong affinity for hydro- 

 gen, and decomposes most bodies containing that element, 

 hydrochloric acid being always formed. In plunging an ignited 

 taper into chlorine gas, its flame is extinguished, but the co- 

 lumn of oily vapour rising from the wick is rekindled by the 

 chlorine, and the hydrogenous part of the combustible con- 

 tinues to burn with a red and smoky flame, which expires on 

 removing the taper into air. Paper dipt in oil of turpentine 

 takes fire spontaneously in this gas, and the oil burns with the 

 deposition of a large quantity of carbon. The affinity of chlo- 

 rine for most metals is equally great : antimony, arsenic and 

 several others, showered in powder into this gas, take fire and 

 produce a brilliant combustion. Chlorine is absorbed by alcohol 

 and many other organic substances, when it generally eliminates 

 more or less hydrogen, as hydrochloric acid, and enters also by 

 substitution into the original compound, in the place of that 

 hydrogen, thus producing many new compounds, such as 

 chloral from alcohol. It bleaches all vegetable and animal 

 colouring matters, and is believed then to act in that manner. 

 The colours are destroyed and cannot be revived by any treat- 

 ment. 



Chlorine when free is easily recognized by its odour and 

 bleaching power, and in the soluble chlorides, by producing 

 with nitrate of silver, a white curdy precipitate of chloride of 

 silver, which is soluble in ammonia, but not soluble in cold or 

 boiling nitric acid. 



Uses. Chemistry has presented to the arts few substances of 

 which the applications are more valuable. Chlorine is the dis- 



