234 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



all about the lecture lie was giving her, and sent him a basket next 

 day, crammed with flowers from the greenhouse, that he might have 

 more material at command. He is equally great in coal-colours, but 

 of that anon. 



Perhaps the most valuable product of coal-naptha is benzole, or 

 benzile (C 12 H 16 ) . The more volatile portion of the naptha has been 

 shown by Mansfeld* to consist chiefly of this substance, a pale yellow 

 sweetish oil, as inflammable as gunpowder. By distilling naptha in a 

 peculiar way, and at a moderate temperature, first alliole, then benzole, 

 then toluole, pass over successively, while the less volatile camphole 

 is left in the water. The first named being the most volatile, and the 

 toluole least so, you may get pretty pure benzole by taking what 

 comes midway. By adding strong nitric acid a nitro-benzole is 

 formed, and this was the first-discovered of all these pleasant odours. 

 It is like that of bitter almonds, and is used in fragrant soaps, &c. : 

 and it is not absent from the cook's repertory. 



Toluole has the same properties, and from one or other of these 

 substances (for they play a good deal into each others hands, I am 

 told) a varied set of essences — fruits and flowers — jonquil,hyacinth, 

 tuberose, jasmine, are derived. The famed " millefleurs" is a product 

 of gas refuse. How many gallons of it have been washed into the 

 Thames ! 



To Hoffmann belongs much of the credit of the -original discovery 

 of coal-colours obtainable from Aniline. It was he who showed that 

 the best of all tests for the presence of this substance was the chloride 

 of lime, with which it produced the Magenta dye. Of course, intelli- 

 gent chemists had their eyes open : and Mr. W. Perkins, by a series 

 of independent researches, rendered it a commercial product, and 

 France soon gave it a name — Mauve, Magenta, Solferino. Why 

 should bloody victories be commemorated on our peaceful triumphs 

 of science ? We do not grudge our neighbours, however, their un- 

 doubted scientific fame ; and will give them our best coal for the pro- 

 duction of " French blue' ' from carbolic acid. It is now coming 

 greatly into fashion. 



By treating Benzole with acetate of iron aniline is produced. But 

 it is made in many ways ; and has received many names — Phenyla- 

 mme, Gyanol, Benzidam, &c. 



The oil of coal-tar is shaken up with hydrochloric acid, and the 

 clear liquor evaporated till it begins to decompose and emit acrid 

 fumes. It is then filtered : potash or milk of lime is added to separate 

 the acid, and the oils, chiefly aniline (C. 12 H 7 N), and leucol (C 18 

 H 8 N) remain. This mixture is distilled, and the aniline is found to 

 pass over at about three hundred and sixty degrees, Fahr. It has to 

 be repeatedly distilled to get it pure, and it is best to treat it again 

 with acid, separate this by potash as before, and then again distil. 



* Poor Mansfeld, who worked so hard at these ethers, and who discovered 

 cwrrvphole, literally fella martyr to his zeal, and died in the odour of sweet flowers; 

 lor one- of his retorts blew up — and deprived him of life, 



