ON THE RECTIFICATION OP ALCOHOL. 
291 
cess; only one trial was made, but that was not of a nature to 
afford any encouragement to continue. Three pounds of al- 
cohol of 82.5° were put in contact with 500 grammes of efflo- 
resced sulphate of soda; the temperature was 9. c: twenty-four 
hours after the alcohol marked 83.7°, I placed the mixture on 
a stove to facilitate the action; a temperature of 35° c. sustain- 
ed for twenty-four hours, had raised the alcohol to 84.9° c. 
only; I then slowly distilled the alcohol from the salt, and ob- 
tained a product of 87.1 c. 
Fused chloride of calcium, which is frequently used in 
France, readily raised the alcohol to an advanced point of rec- 
tification ; but when we charge ourselves with the expense of 
the fire necessary for the fusion of a large quantity of the 
chloride, and beside consider the quantity of the product, 
we will quickly perceive the losses which result from the use 
of this salt; a result which is well known, and is confirmed 
completely by the following experiments: 
I put 700 grammes of the fused chloride of calcium in 7 
pounds of alcohol of 91°. When it was dissolved, I slowly 
distilled, and continued the operation as long as anything came 
over ; I obtained 6i pounds of product, of 95.2°. The 7 
pounds of alcohol of 91° contained 6.37 pounds of absolute al- 
cohol ; 6.25 pounds of 95.2° contain 5.93 pounds; consequent- 
ly the loss was 0.42 of a pound. 
The loss was much greater in the second experiment, in 
which a larger quantity of the chloride was used; to five 
pounds of alcohol at 86°, there were added 1.250 grammes of 
fused chloride ; after twenty-four hours it was slowly distilled, 
and the distillation continued until no more passed over; the 
products separated, as they were distilled over, marked suc- 
cessively 95.6°, 95,6°, 95.6°, 95.6°, 95.6°, 95.6°, 95*, 95°, 94°, 
their mixture formed four pounds of alcohol, of 95°. Thus, 
for 4.30 pounds of absolute alcohol contained in the quantity 
acted upon, 3.80 pounds were procured in the product; 0.50 
pounds remaining in chloride of lime. 
The acetate of potassa possesses but slight advantages for 
the rectification of alcohol; I shall content myself with report- 
