REMARKS  ON  SOME  CHEMICAL  PROCESSES. 
137 
mixture  became  nearly  solid  from  the  deposition  of  nitrobenzoic 
acid.  Two  other  (pure)  specimens  tried  at  the  same  time,  re- 
mained fluid  many  days. 
Not  content  with  the  nitric  acid  test  alone,  I  separated  a 
quantity  of  the  alcohol  bodily  by  the  following  plan,  which  may 
equally  well  be  applied  to  any  other  essential  oil :— Six  measures 
of  the  oil  were  agitated  with  six  measures  of  water  in  a  graduated 
tube  ;  on  standing,  4f  measures  of  oil  only  subsided  ;  the  aqueous 
liquid  was  separated  by  a  pipette  and  saturated  with  carbonate 
of  potash ;  on  remaining  at  rest  a  few  minutes,  about  one  meas- 
ure of  alcohol  separated  as  an  oily  stratum  floating  on  the  sur- 
face. It  was  recognized  by  the  ordinary  tests.  I  have  examined 
other  samples  of  commercial  purified  oil  of  almonds.  They  are 
certainly  all  equally  liable  to  change,  the  permanence  of  those 
which  are  alleged  to  be  inalterable  being  only  in  appearance,  the 
benzoic  acid,  as  formed,  remaining  in  solution.  The  addition  of 
alcohol  would,  moreover,  tend,  in  my  opinion,  to  facilitate  rather 
than  obstruct  the  absorption  of  oxygen. — London  Phar.  Jour., 
Dec,  1866. 
REMARKS  ON  SOME  CHEMICAL  PROCESSES 
By  C.  Lewis  Diehl,  Jr. 
The  object  of  this  paper  is  to  point  out  some  difficulties  that 
are  met  with  by  the  manufacturing  chemist  and  by  the  pharma- 
ceutist in  the  pursuit  of  his  calling.  Our  standard  works  on 
chemistry  and  pharmacy  will  give  formulas  which,  if  strictly 
followed  and  properly  understood,  will  generally  yield  the  desired 
product.  Yet  sometimes  the  operation  will  fail,  notwithstand- 
ing the  greatest  care  on  the  part  of  the  operator,  and  will  cause 
him  to  regard  a  process  as  faulty,  which  would  really  yield  a 
handsome  product  if  carried  out  with  the  proper  attention  to  the 
minor  details.  Manufacturing  chemists,  as  a  general  rule,  will 
not  publish  their  experience  in  the  manufacture  of  their  prepara- 
tions, as  they  wish  to  make  as  much  capital  out  of  any  improved 
process  they  may  have,  as  possible.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that 
they  do  not  show  more  disinterestedness  in  this  respect,  as  by 
the  publication  of  their  experience  they  would  greatly  advance 
