DETECTION OF METIIYLIC ALCOHOL. 
641 
■v.'hat was then a novelty, and to give its composition, not to invent the best 
formula for its preparation. 
In wishing good-bye to this subject, I may remark that Mr. Blunt’s process 
is essentially Mr. Bartlett’s, viz. the precipitation of citrate of bismuth by citrate 
of potash and nitrate of bismuth, and the solution of this in ammonia. 
r Ike whole of this will be found in my original paper, although in perhaps as 
many lines as pages have since been devoted to it. Thus I say, “ It [Liq. Bis- 
muthi] is more elegantly made by dissolving the citrate of bismuth in citrate of 
ammonia. Citrate of bismuth is a very insoluble salt, got by the double de¬ 
composition of citrate of potash, or soda, and ternitrate of bismuth. The ci¬ 
trate as made in this manner is extremely soluble in ammonia, or a solution of 
citrate of ammonia.” The difference in Mr. Bartlett’s modification of the 
above process is, that he adds ammonia to the citrate and forms a basic com¬ 
pound which is prone to decomposition, even with the addition of spirit; 
whilst if this bismuthic compound be dissolved in an excess of citrate of am¬ 
monia, and exactly neutralized, it will keep for an indefinite time without the 
addition of spirit. 
interesting 
which is merely a repetition of the only part 
which is wanting in this respect. 
The objection to this process is the following:—Citrate of bismuth is not 
perfectly insoluble in water; therefore to get it anything approaching perfectly 
free from the nitrate of potash formed (not nitrate of ammonia), would entail 
so great a loss as to necessitate an analysis of the product before it could be 
made up a definite strength. If a quick method of making Liq. Bismuthi is 
required, and the presence of nitrates be no objection, this can be arranged in 
a very simple and efficacious manner, the whole operation only taking a few 
minutes.* A known weight of crystallized nitrate of bismuth is dissolved in 
a small quantity of water, to which has previously been added a like weight of 
citric acid. Ammonia is then added until it is neutralized, when it may be at 
once made up the required strength by the addition of water. This solution 
may be made any strength (50 per cent, if necessary), and will keep indefi¬ 
nitely. It contains, in addition to the bismuth and citrate of ammonia, a little 
1-ess than 14 grain of nitrate of ammonia for every three grains of nitrate of 
bismuth used. 
Apologizing for trespassing on your valuable space, 
I remain, yours obediently, 
Charles E. C. Ticiiborne, F.C.S., F.R.G.S.I., etc. 
Laboratory, Apothecaries’ Hall of Ireland , 
10 Hi May , 1865. 
ON ME. MILLER’S METHOD FOE THE DETECTION OF 
METIIYLIC ALCOHOL. 
BY HARRY NAPIER DRAPER, F.C.S. 
As the processes hitherto given for the detection of methylic alcohol have 
proved so very unsatisfactory, it is not unlikely that the method given by Mr. 
John T. Miller in the April number of this Journal may remain untried, and his 
* As I have stated before, nitric acid is always present in the solution made from preci¬ 
pitated citrate of ammonia. There seems to be a limit to the solubility of chemically pure 
citrate of bismuth : but this solubility is wonderfully increased by the presence of mineral 
acids. 
