642 
DETECTION OP METHYLIC ALCOHOL. 
statements as to its accuracy received cum grano sails by many who have been 
disappointed by the fair promises of success already held out. 
For this reason I wish to place on record the results of a series of experi¬ 
ments in which the general applicability of Mr. Miller’s process was tested to 
the utmost. 
Nineteen specimens, the details of which are given below, were prepared for 
me by a friend, I not having the slightest knowledge of their composition. 
When my friend and I came to compare notes, we found that I had succeeded 
in detecting the presence of methylic alcohol in each of the specimens in which 
it was present, and in them only, except the two which are printed in italics. 
The order of the specimens here given is that according to which they were ori¬ 
ginally numbered. 
1. Spirit of nitre, with 8 per cent, methylated spirit of nitre. 
2. Methylated spirit of nitre. 
3. Compound spirit of juniper. 
4. Spirit of nitre. 
5. Compound spirit of juniper, with 10 per cent, methylated spirit. 
6. Methylated ether. 
7. Ether. 
8. Ether, with 5 per cent, methylated ether. 
9. Ether, with 10 per cent, methylated ether. 
10. Spirit of nitre. 
11. Spirit of nitre, with 5 per cent, methylated spirit of nitre. 
12. Spirit of nitre, with 10 per cent, methylated spirit of nitre. 
13. Spirit of nitre. 
14. Spirit of nitre, with 5 per cent, methylated spirit of nitre. 
15. Spirit of nitre. 
16. Tincture of opium, with 5 per cent, methylated spirit. 
17. Tincture of opium, with 5 per cent, methylated spirit. 
18. Tincture of opium. 
19. Tincture of opium, with 10 per cent, methylated spirit. 
No. 1 I had reported as pure, and No. 13 as methylated. In both of these 
cases it will be observed that the specimens were spirit of nitre, which Mr. 
Miller particularly points out as requiring more care than is necessary with 
tinctures. The reason of this is obvious, as, in pure spirit of nitre, aldehyd 
and perhaps formic acid must be present to a greater or less extent, and mask 
the result. I should mention that I have not found the preparatory treatment 
with carbonate of potassium of any advantage in the case of spirit of nitre. 
I make no comment upon the failures. In No. 1 it will be seen that methyl¬ 
ated spirit was present in the proportion of but 8 per cent., corresponding to 
but 0-8 per cent, of wood spirit, and to, of course, a still less proportion of real 
methyl alcohol. I am far, however, from thinking that the failures were due to 
the method , and think that now, having greater experience, I should have still 
better success. Mr. Miller himself does not claim for his process the degree of 
sensibility which I have required from it. When I have next to examine spirit 
of nitre, I shall distil the specimens from caustic soda or potash before oxidizing 
them. Beyond this 1 would make no alteration in the modus operandi of Mr.. 
Miller, nor can I suggest any improvement upon it. A small glass Liebig’s 
condenser, arranged vertically, will, how r ever, be found convenient when a large 
number of distillations have to be made. 
I must not forget to say that I have found the dark colour of the supernatant 
liquid, after the precipitate of reduced silver has completely subsided, the best 
indication of the presence of methylic alcohol. This coloration is very marked 
and permanent. I have tw r o specimens before me as I write, one from pure spirit 
of nitre, and the other from spirit of nitre containing 10 per cent, of methylated 
