262 
MESSRS. W. N. HARTLEY AND A. K. HUNTINGTON ON THE ACTION 
Examination of Organic Substances. 
After making a preliminary series of observations on the alcohols, ethereal salts, and 
fatty acids, we abandoned the use of silver electrodes used by Dr. Miller, and at once, 
by the aid of other metallic spectra (referred to on diagram No. l), investigated the 
comparative transparency of quartz in use for constructing cells, the cells being filled 
with water and with different alcohols. 
It will be seen that the sides of three quartz cells are almost quite transparent, and 
that, when filled with water, they are practically unchanged in this respect. 
It is evident that we need not fear to employ the three cells in a train, or to use 
pure water as a solvent for such substances as we may desire to examine in solution. 
The thickness of liquid examined was never less than three-quarters of an inch. 
Many of the folio whig organic substances were obtained from Mr. Kahlbatjm’s 
agents ; they were prepared in his factory, and were afterwards carefully rectified and 
purified by us. 
Metliylic Alcohol. Specimen No. 1 . —This was apparently perfectly pure; it had 
no odour or colour, and it boiled at 66° C. It transmitted very few rays beyond 
12 Cd, and it is worthy of remark that, both before and after distillation from quick¬ 
lime prepared from pure marble, it yielded the same absorption spectrum. The 
identical specimen of metliylic alcohol examined by Dr. Miller was compared with 
this, and was found to give the same spectrum. The bottle contai nin g it was labelled 
“ Metliylic alcohol from metliylic oxalate.” 
Specimen No. 2.—This sample was kindly furnished, in a raw state, by Mr. John 
Williams, President of the Pharmaceutical Society. It had been prepared from oil of 
winter-green. After redistillation with caustic potash, and dehydration with caustic 
lime, it was rectified, and found to boil between 66° and 66°'5. As it possessed a 
faint, sweet smell, it was manifestly impure, the impurity doubtless being a small 
quantity of some essential oil not capable of saponification. The somewhat longer 
spectrum of this substance favoured the belief that a specimen of absolute purity would 
be nearly photographically transparent. The specimen examined by M. Soret trans¬ 
mitted very little beyond the line 18 Cd, and was therefore not of such purity as this, 
since only 10 m.m. or about half the thickness of liquid was examined. 
Specimen No. 3.—About a kilogramme of oxalate of methyl, beautifully crystallised 
and perfectly white, was decomposed by strong soda solution, which was made from 
pure soda prepared from sodium. Repeated rectifications from lumps of soda yielded 
more than 200 grammes of metliylic alcohol, which, as it gives a spectrum showing 
almost as great a transparency as water, must be regarded as absolutely pure. It 
boils at 66° C., and has neither colour, odour, nor distinctive taste. Two photographs 
of this specimen are represented in the diagram ; the longer spectrum resulted from 
the use of indium and zinc points. It shows how very nearly the alcohol approaches 
water in transparency. 
