ON  THE   OILY  SUBSTANCE   IN  CHLOROFORM. 
115 
from  concentrated  alcohol,  that  no  disadvantage  can  arise  from 
the  use  of  whiskey  in  the  place  of  concentrated  alcohol,  and  that 
if  chloroform  of  absolute  purity  is  required,  resort  must  be  had  to 
means  of  purification  subsequent  to  its  manufacture,  which  is  by 
far  easier  and  cheaper  to  accomplish  than  to  obtain  chemically 
pure  alcohol.  By  careful  rectification  the  chloroform  can  be 
completely  freed  from  every  trace  of  these  foreign  matters. 
In  each  of  the  above  experiments  there  remained  a  small  quan- 
tity of  liquid  in  the  retort,  very  nearly  the  same  quantity,  appa- 
rently, from  each,  but  which  required  so  high  a  temperature  for 
boiling,  that  the  oil  bath  had  to  be  replaced  with  the  naked  flame 
of  a  spirit  lamp-  The  distillate  now  obtained  at  first  resembled 
the  latter  portions  of  that  previously  distilled,  but  soon  changed 
its  appearance,  becoming  dark  colored,  nearly  black,  and  its 
density  increasing  to  .985,  its  taste  and  odor  also  somewhat  differ- 
ent. The  distillation  was  continued  until  all  the  liquid  had  passed 
over  into  the  receiver  and  a  small  quantity  of  a  black  residue  re- 
mained, which  was  soft,  like  wax,  without  taste  or  odor;  burnt 
like  pitch,  with  a  thick  smoky  flame ;  soluble  in  chloroform,  but 
not  in  water  or  alcohol. 
On  examining  the  nature  of  the  substance  spoken  of  above,  I 
have  found  that  it  contains  two  substances  of  very  different  boiling 
points  and  densities,  but  similar  chemical  properties.  The  first 
liquid,  when  as  pure  as  it  could  be  obtained  by  re-distillation,  is 
a  colorless  liquid  of  a  fruity,  aromatic  odor,  somewhat  resembling 
a  mixture  of  acetate  and  valerianate  of  amyle,  of  a  pungent 
ethereal  taste,  and  producing  coughing,  inflammable,  burning  like 
alcohol,  with  a  clear  blue  flame,  of  sp  .gr.  840,  and  boiling  at  about 
280°  F.  The  second  liquid  has  in  a  lesser  degree  the  taste  and 
odor  of  the  above,  it  is  less  ethereal  and  more  oily  in  its  taste  and 
appearance.  The  boiling  point  could  not  be  determined  with  any 
accuracy,  as  the  thermometer  rose  gradually  from  280°  to  420°, 
at  which  point  the  vapors  condensed  in  violet  streaks  in  the  con- 
denser, forming  a  brownish  liquid,  indicating  some  decomposition 
of  the  liquid  and  separation  of  carbon.  Its  density  was  about  .985. 
On  treating  a  portion  of  each  of  the  above  separately  with  bi- 
chromate of  potassa  and  oil  of  vitriol,  they  were  each  converted 
into  a  mixture  of  valerianate  of  oxide  of  amyl  and  free  valerianic 
acid,  without  any  perceptible  formation  of  muriatic  acid,  chlorine, 
