ON" KEROSENE OIL. 



81 



In order to determine the proportion of contaminating fluids 

 contained in tlie oils, several samples were subjected to a fractional 

 distillation, which gave the following important results: 



It will be observed from these results that but two of the twenty 

 seven samples of kerosene may be regarded as safe burning fluids. 

 Of seventeen samples of kerosene tested in the city of La Crosse, 

 by myself, in December, 1873, but one was found to answer the 

 requirements of law. 



Headlight-oil was originally manufactured for lanterns used on 

 locomotives. 



Mineral Sperm oil owes its name to the odor and color of the 

 fluid. The process of manufacturing it was discovered in 1872, by 

 Mr. Joshua Merrill, at the Downer Oil- Works, in Boston, Massachu- 

 setts. In the notice of its discovery Mr. Merrill says: "Flames of 

 considerable size, such as a large ball of wicking yarn saturated 

 with oil and ignited, when plunged beneath the surface of this oil, 

 previously heated to the temperature of boiling water are extin- 

 guished at once." 



It is estimated that about one-fourth of the production of petro- 

 leum may be manufactured into this beautiful and safe illuminat- 

 ing agent. No danger, whatever, need be anticipated from mineral 

 sperm or headlight oil, even though a lamp containing either should 

 be accidentally broken while in use. The flame at the end of the 

 wick would probably be extinguished, but if circumstances the 

 most favorable should happen for igniting the oil, fire could not 

 possibly be communicated to it until the temperature of the sur- 

 rounding fluid became raised to its vaporizing point. The flame 

 6 w A s 



