Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  i 
July  1,  1873.  \ 
Carbolic  Acid  and  Creasote. 
293 
the  acid  was  readily  dissolved,  forming  a  clear  solution,  which  did  not 
change  upon  the  addition  of  the  other  ingredients  ;  but  which,  after 
standing  a  few  hours,  became  a  beautiful  violet  blue  color.  Having 
been  taught  by  text-books  that  carbolic  acid  was  insoluble  in  ammo- 
nia, I  was  somewhat  surprised  at  this  result,  and  upon  referring  to 
Watt,  Ginelin,  and  other  authorities,  and  finding  that  they  made  the 
same  statement,*  my  surprise  was  somewhat  intensified.  I  immedi- 
ately instituted  a  series  of  experiments,  and  found  that  carbolic  acid 
Was  certainly  soluble  in  ammonia,  but  whether  owing  to  impurities 
present  I  could  not  say.  I  used  Calvert's  No.  2  acid,  which  was  im- 
mediately dissolved  by  the  ammonia,  forming  a  clear  solution,  which, 
upon  standing  about  six  hours,  gave  the  violet  blue  color  spoken 
of  above,  the  acid  still  remaining  in  solution,  and  giving  no  pre- 
cipitate. 
I  then  tried  the  ammonia  upon  common  creasote,  which  I  found  to 
he  insoluble  in  it,  but  which,  after  a  short  time,  acquired  a  light  blue 
<color. 
To  carry  these  experiments  to  a  successful  issue,  it  became  neces- 
sary to  procure  chemically  pure  carbolic  acid  and  creasote.  After  a 
number  of  attempts  I  succeeded  in  getting  Morson's  and  Merck's  cre- 
osote, and  having  in  the  meantime  found  in  the  Druggists'  Circular  a 
process  for  purifying  carbolic  acid,  which,  with  some  modifications,  I 
iiave  used,  1  have  succeeded,  I  think,  in  confirming  my  first  experi- 
ments, 
I  will  give  the  process  of  purification  as  used  by  myself. 
I  put  into  a  pint  flask  one  ounce  of  Calvert's  No.  1  acid,  crystal- 
lized, and  gradually  added  ten  ounces  of  distilled  water,  shaking  t 
*  Note  by  the  Editor. — Gmelin's  Handbook,  edition  of  Cavendish  Society, 
vol.  xi,  p.  150,  contains  the  following  : 
Caibolate  of  Ammonia. — Carbolic  acids  absorb  ammoniacal  gas  abundantly 
and  with  evolution  of  heat,  forming  carbolate  of  ammonia  (Laurent,  Hoffman, 
Ann.  Pharin.,  47,  75).  This  salt,  passed  in  the  state  of  vapor  through  a  glass 
tube  at  a  low  red  heat,  deposits  a  small  quantity  of  charcoal,  but  does  not  form 
•any  aniliu ;  which,  however,  is  formed  at  300°  C,  in  sealed  tubes,  and  sparing- 
ly when  an  alcoholic  solution  of  carbolate  of  ammonia  is  set  aside  for  a  month, 
(Laurent).  Strong  ammonia  dissolves  quickly  in  cold  creasote,  and  the  mix- 
ture turns  red  when  exposed  to  the  air,  (Reichenbach).  The  salt  obtained  with 
•carbolic  acid  remains  colorless,  and,  even  when  it  contains  but  little  ammonia, 
exhibits  alkaline  reaction,  exhales  ammonia  and  volatilizes,  (Runge).  Creasote 
■dissolves  in  ammonia,  even  in  the  cold ;  and  the  solution  gives  off  all  its  am- 
monia at  100°,  (Gorup-Besanez.) 
