D I S 



757 



D I S 



DiSti lla- 

 tion 



. II 

 D'stress. 



glass tubes nearly of the same size, a piece of wet blad- 

 der being firmly wrapped round the joining, adheres as 

 it dries, and forms a very secure and permanent lute. 



When the juncture is exposed to a red heat, or high- 

 er, sand and clay, with a large proportion of the former, 

 answers very well. This will be much improved by a 

 little horse dung worked up with it. If the heat be 

 such as to produce vitrification, a portion of borax or 

 potash may be mixed with the above. See Description 

 of Chemical Apparatus under Chemistry. 



In different processes of distillation, there are various 

 modes of applying the heat. When violent and sudden 

 heat would be liable to injure the material of distilla- 

 tion, or when accidents might arise from such effect, 

 the sand bath is generally used. If the sand be not a 

 sufficient conductor to bring sufficient heat to the body, 

 it should be mixed with a greater or less proportion of 

 copper or brass filings. When the heat is not required 

 greater than that of boiling water, the retort or still is 

 placed in boiling water, which constitutes what is called 

 a water bath. It will be found more convenient to 

 bring steam from a boiler at a distance, and allow it to 

 condense upon the distilling vessel. If the steam be 

 brought into the interior of a vessel, having on the out- 

 side a dished cavity for sand, the steam may be made 

 of greater density than under the common pressure, and 

 by that means give a greater heat than 212°. Indeed, 

 if the steam vessel be provided with a safety valve, any 

 degree of heat short of endangering the vessels may be 

 obtained with great exactness and uniformity. 



When the vessels are of metal, if the abrupt heat does 

 not affect the substance, the naked fire may be used. If 

 the vessels be of glass, or earthen ware, then the naked 

 fire would be very liable to crack them, on account of 

 their inferior conducting power, connected with their 

 frangibility. In this case the sand bath, on the ap- 

 plication of steam, is very proper. In experiments of 

 the laboratory, the Argand lamp is found the most con- 

 venient method of furnishing heat, as well for distilla- 

 tion as for evaporation and other purposes. 



The lamp is fixed, capable of sliding upon a standard. 

 Above, and directly over the lamp, is a sliding ring, to 

 support the retort at any distance from the lamp. The 

 lamp being of the Argand kind, admits of any degree of 

 adjustment, by which the heat may be modified, inde- 

 pendent of the distance of the retort from the lamp. The 

 greatest advantage of this mode of giving heat, is in its 

 instant application without loss of time, and being able 

 to withdraw the heat at pleasure. 



If, instead of the ring for supporting the retort, a yes- 

 . sel open at top and bottom, in the shape of a frustum of 

 a cone, be used, the heat will not only be much econo« 

 raised, but be returned within the sides of the hollow 

 stand. The retort is placed so as to fit the top aperture. 

 The depth of the vessel is half the width at the base. 

 Instead of a glass, as in the Argand lamp, an iron tube 

 is used. (c. s.) 



DISTORTION, in Optics. See Anamorphosis. 



DISTRESS, (districtio,) in English law, in a more 

 common and limited sense, signifies, a taking of move- 

 able goods, profits of lands, or other personal chattel, 

 by way of pledge, for an injury committed by the own- 

 er or possessor. It requires no writ, or judicial pro- 

 cess, to constitute its legality, and is accordingly ranged 

 by the writers on the law of Eugland, among those me- 

 thods of redress which are competent by the mere act 

 of the party. The thing taken is also, in common lan- 

 guage, frequently called a distress. 



The injuries for which a distress may be taken are 



various ; but they have been conveniently distributed 

 into five sorts or classes. 1st, The most ordinary sort 

 is that of non-payment of rent, for which a distress is 

 competent to a landlord against his tenant ; and, in this 

 respect, it is analogous to the landlord's hypothec of the 

 Scotch law. Nor, whatever may have formerly been 

 the rule, is this remedy confined to any particular sort 

 of rent, but is now extended by statute to every de- 

 scription of rent, whether rent service, rent charge, or 

 rent seek ; so that all arrears are alike remediable by the 

 operation of a distress. 2d, For neglecting to do suit 

 to the lord of the manor's court, or other personal ser- 

 vice certain, a distress is competent to the lord of com- 

 mon right. 3d, Amercements awarded in a court-leet, 

 but not in a court-baron, (unless by a special prescrip- 

 tion, ) may be made good by a distress of common right. 

 4th, Where a man's cattle, or other beasts, stray into his 

 neighbour's grounds, damage faisant, — in other words, 

 injuring his pasture, or occasioning other damage, he 

 may distrain, or take them in pledge, till satisfaction of x 

 the damage. This species of remedy is also competent 

 by the Scotch law, called a poinding of cattle. Lastly, 

 there are several duties and penalties created by certain 

 statutes, for the recovery of which, distress, and subse- 

 quent sale, is given. 



With regard to the sort of property liable to a dis- 

 tress, the general rule is, that all personal chattels are 

 subjected. There are, however, certain exceptions, 

 such as dogs, rabbits, and all other animals ferae natu- 

 rae, these not being presumable property of the wrong- 

 doer ; also the instrument or tool with which a person 

 is actually working, or the horse he is riding, these be- 

 ing privileged for the time, by reason of the personal 

 use or occupation ; also whatever is merely in the 

 wrong-doer's possession in the way of trade, as cloth in 

 the dyer's work-house, a horse in a public stable, &c. ; 

 also the tools and utensils of a man's trade, beasts of 

 the plough, averia carucae, and sheep, which kinds of 

 property are all privileged by the ancient common law ; 

 also whatever is liable to spoil by keeping, as milk, 

 fruit, &c. ; and lastly, whatever is fixed to the freehold, 

 us doors, chimney-pieces, &c. although by statute ii. 

 Geo. II. c. 19, growing corn is now subjected. 



At common law, whatever was taken by distress, 

 could not be disposed of for satisfaction of the injury, 

 but only retained by way of pledge until replevied, 

 ' ( reptegiare,) or got back by the wrong-doer, under se- 

 curity of satisfying the distrainer's claim ; and thus still 

 stands the law with regard to distresses of beasts taken 

 damage faisant. But now by various acts of parlia- 

 ment, all other distresses, if not replevied by the own- 

 er* within a longer or shorter period as the case may 

 be, may be sold by the distrainer in satisfaction of his 

 claim, and the overplus, if any, restored to the par- 

 ty. (J. B.) 



DISTRINGAS, in English law, is a writ, by which 

 the sheriff, or other officer, is commanded to distrain a 

 party in satisfaction of a debt due to the king, or to 

 compel him to some act of obedience to the law. 



First, By this process, a party may be compelled to 

 make appearance in the courts of common law, to an- 

 swer to the plaintiff's suit. If one distress has no effect, 

 the sheriff may proceed from time to time, and continu- 

 ally ; and hence it is called a distress infinite. By the 

 common law, the goods so taken were forfeited to the 

 king, if the^iarty remained obstinate ; but now by sta- 

 tute 10 Geo. Hi. c. 50, they may be sold, if the court 

 shall so direct, to defray the plaintiff's costs. It is by 

 this process also, that the courts of equity enforce obe- 



Distrejs, 

 D ktringas. 



