138 
REMARKS  ON  SOME  CHEMICAL  PROCESSES. 
the  cause  of  science.  The  efforts  of  Dr.  E.  R.  Squibb  in  that 
line  are  truly  commendable,  and  to  him  are  due  many  improved 
chemical  processes  now  extensively  applied.  His  example 
should  be  imitated  by  all  true  friends  of  science  ;  the  plea  that 
it  is  against  their  interest  to  publish  the  result  of  their  expe- 
rience, may  be  met  with  the  simple  argument  "  that  he  who  is 
capable  of  inventing  or  improving  a  process,  will  always  have 
the  start  of  the  one  who  has  to  wait  for  the  invention." 
In  explanation  of  the  remarks  I  am  about  to  make,  I  wish  to 
state  that  I  offer  them  simply  as  the  result  of  my  own  expe- 
rience. I  do  not  claim  any  originality  to  any  of  them.  I  merely 
wish  to  point  out  the  difficulties  I  have  had,  and  how  I  have 
overcome  them. 
Acid.  Phosphor.  Dilut.  The  U.  S.  Pharm.  directs  this  to  be 
made  in  a  porcelain  dish,  covered  with  a  glass  funnel.  The  diffi- 
culty that  occurred  to  me  was  caused  by  the  frequent  breakage 
of  the  funnel  and  consequent  loss  of  phosphorus,  not  to  speak 
of  the  annoyance  to  the  operator.  This  breakage  is  almost  al- 
ways caused  by  the  addition  of  the  water  or  nitric  acid  to  the 
materials  during  reaction,  and  notwithstanding  I  always  observed 
the  greatest  care  in  the  addition,  breakage  could  not  be  avoided. 
I  therefore  concluded  to  try  the  old  method,  by  oxidizing  the 
phosphorus  in  a  glass  retort,  with  results  entirely  satisfactory. 
The  following  is  the  process  pursued  by  me,  which  I  can  recom- 
mend as  perfectly  safe : 
Introduce  into  a  French  glass  tubulated  retort  of  capacity  of 
42  parts,  12  parts  of  water  and  two  parts  of  phosphorus.  Place 
the  retort  on  a  sand  bath  and  introduce  through  a  funnel  tube, 
fixed  in  the  tubulure  by  means  of  a  cork  and  reaching  half  an  inch 
below  the  level  of  the  liquid,  eight  parts  of  nitric  acid.  Apply 
gentle  heat  and  watch  the  operation  closely  as  soon  as  reaction 
commences.  When  the  reaction  slackens  add  more  nitric  acid 
in  portions  of  about  one-fourth  part  at  a  time.  Should  the  re- 
action become  violent,  small  quantities  of  warm  water  must  be 
added  until  it  is  reduced  to  its  ordinary  action,  which  may  be 
compared  to  the  gentle  boiling  of  water.  The  formation  of 
frothy  bubbles  on  the  surface  of  the  liquid  is  always  the  "fore- 
runner of  violent  reaction  and  should  be  checked  at  once.  I 
