On Capnomor. 
249 
which disappear at the usual temperature in an hour to an 
hour and a half. 
Capnomor has no action on litmus or turmeric ; it does not 
absorb oxygen from the air even when heated ; it burns in 
giving out much smoke. It is almost insoluble in cold water, 
and but slightly acted upon by hot. It is, however, taken up 
in all proportions by alcohol, sulphuric and acetic ether, pica- 
mar, eupion, petroleum, carburet of sulphur, essence of turpen- 
tine and creosote. When united with chlorine or bromine, it 
gives rise to an elevation of temperature, and the formation 
of hydracids and new oily substances which Dr. Reichen- 
bach thinks are analogous to chloral and bromal. If the 
purity of capnomor is adulterated by the least trace of the 
oil from which pittacal is obtained, it produces, on contact 
with chlorine, a violet colour which changes to yellow when 
the capnomor is saturated with the gas. It dissolves a large 
proportion of iodine, becoming of a browm colour ; it also 
dissolves phosphorus, sulphur and selenium. Weak nitric 
acid colours it of a deep brown; when more concen- 
trated, decomposes it, giving rise to carbazotic acid, a great 
quantity of oxalic acid, and a new crystalline body. Sul- 
phuric acid of a specific gravity of 1.850 dissolves more than 
its own weight of capnomor without decomposing it; the 
temperature of the mixture becomes raised, but there is no 
production of sulphurous acid. Hydrochloric, hydrobromic 
and hydriodic acids have no action on it. 
It is very slightly soluble in acetic acid, and itself dissolves 
some of the other organic acids, though in small proportions. 
Succinic acid, however, is very soluble in it when aided by 
heat, but crystallizes almost entirely on the cooling of the so- 
lution ; and the carbazotic, benzoic, margaric, oleic and 
stearic acids are dissolved in it in large quantities, even when 
cold. Potassium, sodium, potash and soda have very little 
action on this body; ammonia and the hydrates of lime and 
barytes, none. Like creosote, it combines with some salts, 
as the sulphate of potash and sulphate of ammonia. 
It dissolves, even when cold, camphor, paraffin, napthaline, 
myricine, mastic, benzoin and colophane ; it swells caoutchouc, 
Vol. I.— No. 3. 32 
