PROCEEDINGS OF THE POLYTECHNIC ASSOCIATION. 503 



in France. It was a No. 1 oil of a well known brand, sold as one lot, per- 

 fectly transparent, deodorized about alike, and yet it varied from 3 to 44 

 pounds to the barrel, making a difference of over one pound to the gallon. 

 Some of the solid products have been examined also, and in some of their 

 ph3'sical properties they vary almost as much as the more numerous licjuids. 

 I now allude to parafiine. Fillipizzi examined one sample and divided it 

 into nine distinct portions, with fusing points varying 113* to ISO'* Fah. 

 Varieties examined by others varied from 92° to 149° Fah. In over 40 

 samples I have examined, I have found their fusing points from 108'^ to 

 130° Fall. I would remark in this connection, that some varieties of it 

 contain scarcely a particle of paraffine, while others will yield about four 

 pounds to the gallon. Naphtha seems to be the dividing medium between 

 two distinct series of hydrocarbons. They are distinguished by the indif- 

 ference of one to No. 5, while the other is powerfully acted upon by its 

 producing a variety of products that act as a base for other chemicals to 

 act upon. Their difference may be expressed by -|~ ^ H — H for the lower 

 series. There is one thing worthy of notice that may not be generally 

 known in regard to these light carbo hydrites : that the action of No. 5, 

 upon all light, distilled H. C, whether from coal, wood or petroleum, forms 

 compounds having au aromatic odor ; some like cinnamon, others like oil 

 of bitter almonds, others cedar wood, and so on. 



Dr. Parmelee. — What is the weight of a gallon of this oil? 



Mr. Grieves. — The weight of a gallon of the lightest is a fraction over 

 seven pounds, and the heaviest about eight pounds. The oil that I ob- 

 tained four pounds of paraffine out of a gallon, was of the same quality as 

 that from coal oil. 



Mr. H. J. Callo. — Have you ever froze the oils, and after that put them in 

 under the air pump? 



Mr. Grieves. — I have froze them, but never subjected them to the air 

 pump. I have treated them with phosphorus, and the odor was worse than 

 the original — a single drop (ui this table would scent the room; but the 

 vapor of this oil when lighted would throw the gas of this room in the shade; 

 when burned with a wick it gave a pale bluish flame. I have also tried to 

 distill the oil and treat it with lead, when it exploded and threw the oil in 

 all directions. There is sulphur in some of the oils, but I have not found 

 any phosphorus in it. 



Dr. Colburn. — If it was sulphuretted hydrogen that gave the oil its odor, 

 would not chlorine remove it ? 



Prof. Everett. — The chlorine would give a greater odor than the oil 

 itself. The remedy would be as bad as the disease. 



Mr. Grieves. — Camphor gives its own peculiar odor to the oil, thus neu- 

 tralizing the smell of the oil. 



Dr. Stevens. — Have you ever tried the essential oils ? 



Mr. Grieves. — I have never tried them, as they would be too expensive. 



Prof. Everett. — Have you ever found alcohol to combine with the oil? I 

 never have. 



Mr. Grieves. — Only with the lighter products. 



The Chairman. — This is the third evening that we have had this subject 

 under discussion, and so vast is it that we seem to have have hardly 



