Am.  Jour.  Pharm.l 
March,  1885.  / 
Practical  Notes, 
151 
PRACTICAL  NOTES. 
By  the  Editor. 
Linimentum  Ammonim. — Mr.  F.  H.  Alcock  states  that  sesame  oil 
makes  a  more  satisfactory  preparation  than  olive  oil,  or  a  number  of 
other  oils  experimented  with;  even  after  standing  three  months  there 
is  no  sign  of  separation,  and  the  liniment  presents  a  beautiful  creamy 
♦consistence  and  color,  but  slightly  altered  during  the  time  stated. — 
Phar.  Jour. and  Trans.,  Oct.  11,  1884,  p.  282. 
Uses  of  Paraffin  Oil. — Leon  Crismer  gives  an  interesting  account  of 
the  uses  to  which  paraffin  oil  may  be  put  as  a  solvent  and  reagent. 
Test  for  Water  in  Ether,  etc. — Liquid  paraffin  dissolves  in  all  pro- 
portions in  anhydrous  chloroform  or  ether,  yielding  clear  solutions; 
but  in  the  presence  of  water  or  of  diluted  alcohol  the  solutions  are 
turbid.  Liquid  paraffin  dissolves  sparingly  in  absolute  alcohol ;  such 
a  solution  at  once  becomes  turbid  on  the  addition  of  weaker  alcohol. 
Methyl  alcohol  has  a  very  similar  behavior  with  paraffin  oil.  The 
presence  of  water  in  the  liquids  named  may  thus  be  readily  ascertained. 
Solvent  Properties. — Liquid  paraffin  is  a  good  solvent  for  amyl  alco- 
hol, crude  fusel  oil,  chlorine,  bromine,  iodine  and  the  phosphorus  and 
alkyl  compounds  of  the  halogens.  White  phosphorus  kept  under 
paraffin  oil  unites  readily  and  without  danger  of  explosion  with  bro- 
mine dropped  into  the  liquid,  the  mixture  being  kept  cool;  the  phos- 
phorus tri-bromide  dissolved  in  the  liquid  paraffin,  is  decomposed  on 
dropping  in  water,  hydrohromic  acid  being  given  off,  and  may  be  com- 
pletely dehydrated  by  passing  the  gas  over  phosphoric  anhydride. 
Hydr iodic  acid  may  be  prepared  in  a  similar  manner.  The  iodine 
is  added  in  small  quantities  to  the  phosphorus  kept  under  liquid 
paraffin;  water  is  added,  and  the  mixture  is  finally  heated  in  a  sand 
bath. 
Ethyl  iodide  is  expeditiously  prepared  using  liquid  paraffin  as  a 
solvent  for  the  phosphorus  triodide,  adding  the  alcohol  gradually, 
returning  the  ether  by  means  of  a  reversed  cooler  to  the  mixture  and 
finally  distilling.  13  Gm.  phosphorus,  160  iodine  and  60  absolute 
alcohol  yielded  190  grams  colorless  ethyl  iodide,  which  after  treatment 
with  a  little  iodine,  sodium  and  finally  with  calcium  chloride,  furnished 
182  Gm.  ethyl  iodide,  sp.  gr.  1-944  at  15°C.,  and  boiling  at  72-5°C. 
Methyl  iodide  was  prepared  in  the  same  way;  the  yield  was  90  per 
cent— Berlchte  D.  Chem.  Ges.,  1884,  649-652. 
