418 
FUSEL  OIL  FROM  INDIAN  CORN  AND  RYE. 
fusel  smell.  The  volume  was  not  much  diminished  by  agitation 
with  water ;  but  the  water  when  distilled  gave  alcohol.  When 
distilled  with  a  platinum  wire,  the  thermometer  rose  gradually 
irom  92°  Centigrade  to  226°,  at  which  temperature  there  remained 
a  small  portion  of  dark  colored  oil.  At  first  water  and  oil  came 
over,  and  then  oil  alone.  A  considerable  portion  had  passed  over 
before  the  thermometer  indicated  the  boiling  point  of  amylic  alco- 
hol ;  but  by  successive  rectifications,  removing  the  water,  the 
great  bulk  of  the  liquid  had  the  boiling  point  of  132°. 
The  following  are  the  proportions  of  distillate  for  such  a  first 
distillation : 
Boiling  Point. 
92°_  99°  (2  layers) 
99  —109    (2  layers) 
109  —121  ; 
121  —130 
130  —134 
134  —136 
130  —137 
137  —147 
147  _168 
168  —200  (yellowish) 
200  —226  (yellowish) 
Fluid  Ounces. 
•  4* 
.  41 
.  n 
.  16 
•  H 
•  M 
.  if 
.  2 
i 
<*. 
.  \ 
of  a  reddish  brown 
There  remained  in  the  retort  about  f  oz. 
liquid.  When  an  alcoholic  solution  of  caustic  potassa  was  added 
to  the  members  of  this  series,  a  bright  yellow  color  was  deve- 
loped, which  was  deeper  the  higher  the  boiling  point.  After 
standing  for  some  time,  the  liquids  were  shaken  with  water  which 
was  separated.  They  were  then  distilled,  and  the  residue,  which 
was  dark  and  strongly  alkaline,  was  washed  several  times  with 
water;  other  portions  of  the  fusel  oil  were  distilled  from  aqueous 
and  alcoholic  solutions  of  potassa,  and  the  alkaline  liquids  con- 
taining the  fatty  acids  were  united. 
Examination  of  the  Potassa  Solution  for  Fatty  Acids. — The 
potassa  solutions  obtained  by  uniting  the  alcoholic  and  aqueous 
solutions  of  potassa,  were  evaporated  to  dryness  after  several  ad- 
ditions of  water  to  expel  the  alcohol.  They  were  then  dissolved 
in  water  and  decomposed  in  a  retort,  by  dilute  sulphuric  acid,  and 
distilled  (with  the  addition  of  water)  until  it  was  supposed  the 
fatty  acids  had  passed  over.    The  thumping  of  the  retort,  as  the 
