TRANSACTIONS OP THE SECTIONS. 43 



its nature. It has exti-acted from the oil and retains in solution more or less car- 

 bolic acid and its honiologues, and the poisonous nature of the spent soda-liquor is 

 doubtless materially augmented by the presence of these acids. 



One sample of this soda-liquor which was flowing from a paraffin oil-work, and 

 which contained extra water, proved destructive to fish in ten minutes ; diluted 

 with three parts of water, it killed fish in twenty minutes ; with twenty of water, 

 the fish were dead in twenty-five minutes ; with 100 of water, the fish were killed 

 in thirty minutes ; diluted with 1000 of water, the soda-water was destructive to fish 

 in twenty hours ; whilst in 10,000 of water the fish were not killed but were appa- 

 rently slightly sick. Experiments were made with crude shale-oil and the refined 

 oils obtained therefrom, and with crude Pennsylvanian petroleum, and the refined 

 oils extracted from it. The crude shale-oil was destructive to fish when taken in 

 the proportion of 1 of the oil to 1000 of water — the crude oil being more ener- 

 getic in its action than any of the others, then in succession the lubricating oil, 

 the bm-ning oil, and the lighter spirit. 



The Pennsylvanian petroleum was not so powerfid in its poisonous properties as 

 the shale-oil employed in the experiments. The crude shale-oil, in the proportion 

 of 1 to 1000 of water, was poisonoiLS to fish in twelve hours ; whilst the crude 

 Pennsylvanian oil in the same proportion did not kill the fish for twenty-four hours. 

 The refined oils acted in a corresponding manner on fish. Thus the refined shale- 

 oil, in the proportion of 1 to 1000 of water, killed the fish in twenty-fom- hours ; 

 whilst the refined Pennsylvanian oil did not prove destructive for two days. 



The importance of this subject will probably soon be greater than what it is at 

 present, as the manufacture of crude paraffin oil in conjunction with gas has 

 abeady been introduced into one of om- gas-works in Scotland. 



The coal used is the Newbattle gas or Cannel coal, which j'ields when distilled 

 in ordinary gas-retorts, at a bright cherry-red heat, about 11,000 cubic feet of gas, 

 with an illuminating or photogenic power of thirty-four standard sperm candles for 

 every five cubic feet of the gas bm-ned dm-ing every hour. When distilled, how- 

 ever, at a low or black-red heat in larger retorts, as carried on in ordinary paraffin 

 oil-works, the coal yields only .3000 to 3500 cubic feet of illuminating gas, with the 

 photogenic power of thirty candles for every five cubic feet bm-ned dm-ing the horn-, 

 so that two-thirds of the total quantity of gas capable of being yielded by the coal 

 is sacrificed ; but in place thereof there are obtained about 60 gallons of crude 

 paraffin oil with a specific gravity of 900 to 905. The g.io-works in question are 

 vii-tuaUy crude parafiin oil -works in which the gas is utilized ; and as the change in 

 the mode of working the coal appears to be profitable, there is every reason to 

 consider it likely that other gas-works will follow the example, and become 

 virtually crude paraffin oil-works with refineries attached thereto. 



On an Exti-aorcUnary Iron Stone. By Dr. T. L. Phipson, F.C'.S. Sfc. 

 The author alludes in this paper to a journey which he made dming the year 

 1805 in the principality of Waldeck (Germany), and gives an account of the 

 mining district which he visited there. About twelve English miles from the 

 mineral springs of Wildimgen, in the region where the schists are upheaved by 

 greenstone, containing lodes of coijper ore, lead ore, and barytine, with some zinc 

 blende, he met with a very remarkable ironstone which is distinct from the fine 

 red hematite that_ abounds in these districts, by the presence of a considerable 

 amount of magnetic oxide of iron, some specimens yielding as much as 28 per cent., 

 and when smelted give about 59 per cent, of iron of exceedingly fine quality. This 

 mineral occurs in a quartz lode, is crystallized in the rhombic system, and as'brilliant 

 as steel. It gives a dark purple powder. The red hematites of the same district all 

 contain a little magnetic oxide, vai-ying from 2 to 4 per cent, and even more. 



On the Origin of Muscular Force in Animals. 



By Dr. Ltoi^^ Platpaie, C.B., LL.D., F.R.S.L. 6f E. 



The author reviewed the recent experiments of Fick and Wislicenus on this 



subject. These physiologists ascended the Faulhorn, after having subsisted for 



thirty-one hours on cake made of starch fried in fat, and they found that they 



