326 
SULPHUR IN PYROLIGNEOUS SPIRIT. 
In Europe BestuchefPs tincture is much used by physicians. It 
sometimes agrees better in the bleached state, sometimes when 
colored. When first prepared the tincture has a yellow hue, which 
it loses by exposure to the light of the sun. If, after it has thus 
been bleached, it is placed in a dark closet, it again becomes yel- 
lowish, though the color is not so deep as at first. — New York 
Journal of Pharmacy, August, 1852. 
SULPHUR IN PYROLIGNEOUS SPIRIT. 
By Reuben Phillips. 
During the course of some recent researches, I was occasionally 
perplexed by the anomalous appearance of sulphur ; and the fol- 
lowing experiments were made to ascertain its source. As I can- 
not find that any one has yet noticed the existence of sulphur in 
pyroligneous spirit, perhaps these experiments may be acceptable 
to those who use pyroligneous spirit for fuel. 
About 6 grs. of hydrate of soda were placed in a silver crucible, 
capable of containing about oz. of water. The soda was then 
fused, and the crucible inclined in various positions so as to line it 
with soda. The spirit to be tested was placed in a glass spirit- 
lamp holding nearly j of a volume ounce, f and then the flame 
was driven into the crucible by means of a blowpipe, which was 
fed with air from a metallic vessel in which it had been strongly 
condensed. After the lamp-full of spirit had been thus burnt and 
the crucible had become cool, sufficient water was added to dissolve 
the saline matter; the solution was then filtered, an excess of 
hydrochloric acid added, and then a little chloride of barium. All 
the samples of pyroligneous spirit which I have obtained, when 
treated by this process, afforded an abundant precipitate of sul- 
phate of baryta. 
I satisfied myself, by a number of experiments with alcohol, 
that the process would not yield sulphur unless sulphur existed in 
the products of the combustion of the spirit. 
t To prevent obscurity and circumlocution, I use the term volume ounce, 
or vol. oz. as equivalent to the volume of an ounce of distilled water. 
