234 
THE GEOLOGIST. 
all about the lecture he 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^^ ff^). 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 alUole, then benzole, 
then toluole, pass over successively, while the less volatile campliole 
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 Hofiinann belongs much of the credit of the original discoveiy 
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- 
mine, Cyanol, Benziclam, &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. H^ N), and leucol (C^^ 
H^ 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 
camphole, Hterally fella martyr to his zeal, and died in the odour of sweet flowers; 
for one of his retorts blew up — and deprived him of life. 
