THE PRODUCTS OF THE DISTILLATION OF COAL. 291 



means valueless, and is adapted for nearly all the purposes for which 

 ordinary coal naphtha is applicable. If Benzole is required free from all 

 admixture, it must he frozen and placed in a funnel that the impurities 

 may drain away. 



Although equally well adapted for many of the economic purposes 

 for which they are used, Benzole has these advantages over Naphtha, the 

 odour is less unpleasant and, being more volatile, it is more rapidly and 

 effectually removed by evaporation. Under the name of Benzine Collas, 

 Sherwoodole, &c, Benzole has been extensively used to remove grease 

 and fatty matters from all textile fabrics, and Mr. Calvert has made such 

 application the subject of a patent, and cites a large number of purposes 

 for which it is adapted. In order to remove grease, etc., from these 

 articles, if small they are simply rubbed with it ; but on a large scale, 

 they are put into a suitable vessel and the naphtha is run in ; after a 

 time it is drawn off and the fabrics are submitted to pressure to remove 

 as much as possible of the adhering liquid. After being used in this 

 manner the naphtha or benzole is not wasted, but is freed by distilla- 

 tion from the greasy matters which it has dissolved, and which may be 

 utilized as a lubricant for machinery, etc. The powerful solvent pro- 

 perties which Benzole possesses over a large class of resinous substances 

 has given to it an extensive economical application. It is one of the 

 materials used for the solution of caoutchouc in the manufacture of 

 Macintosh waterproof articles. One method of making vulcanised 

 India-rubber consists in rubbing caoutchouc softened by naphtha with 

 sulphur and heating to 320°. It dissolves gum mastic, etc., camphor, 

 wax and essential oils with great facility, and for some of these pur- 

 poses is becoming an important agent in the researches of organic 

 chemistry. Some resins such as copal, etc., which are only slightly 

 acted upon by the liquid, dissolve readily in the vapour at its point of 

 condensation, hence its probable utility for varnish purposes. A cheap 

 polish and furniture paste have long been made with naphtha, and also 

 a cheap varnish with gum dammar. But in this direction the light 

 spirit procured during the distillation of petroleum, etc., for illuminat- 

 ing oils, promises to be of great service. The presence of these light 

 oils is detrimental to the goodness of the heavier oils used for illumina- 

 tion, inasmuch as the presence of the former is the cause of the ex- 

 plosibility often possessed by the latter. Obtained during rectification 

 they were at first looked upon as little more than waste products, but 

 lately have been introduced into commerce under the name of turpen- 

 tine substitute, turpentole, etc. The recent high price of turpentine 

 has caused a great demand for the article as a substitute in preparing 

 paints, common varnishes, etc. 



Benzole is one interesting point in the passage of coal to colour, and 

 is dependent upon the peculiar action which nitric acid exercises upon 

 it, having as its result the production of Nitro-Benzole ; other chemical 

 agents convert this fluid into Aniline, the basis of the larger part of the 



