PREPARATION OF CHLOROFORM. 93 
ART. XXII.— ON THE PREPARATION OF CHLOROFORM. 
By M. Soubeiran. 
The following is the process which I now employ for 
preparing this substance, the publication of which, although 
perhaps somewhat premature, I shall not regret, if it may- 
have assisted in admitting some destitute sick to an earlier 
participation in the beneficial effects derived from anesthesia 
by chloroform. 
I take 10 parts of commercial chloride of lime of about 
90°, mix it carefully with GO parts of water, transfer the 
lime-milk which results into a copper still, which should not . 
be filled more than two-thirds, add 2 parts of alcohol of 
0.85, and adapt the head and the receiver; when the 
joints have been well-cemented, a brisk fire is kept under 
the apparatus. At about 176°, a violent reaction ensues, 
which raises the mass and would cause it to pass into the 
receiver if the fire were not quickly removed ; this is the 
only difficult part of the operation. Its approach is indi- 
cated by the temperature of the neck of the still. When 
this has become much heated at its most distant end, before 
any products of distillation have begun to appear the firing 
is removed. A few moments afterwards distillation be- 
gins, and proceeds rapidly of itself until almost complete. 
As soon as I observe the action to become slow, I restore 
the firing to assist it. It is very soon terminated, which is 
easily known from the liquids which pass over no longer 
possessing the sweet taste of chloroform. The distillate is 
composed of two strata; the lower one is dense and slightly 
yellowish; it consists of chloroform mixed with alcohol and 
contaminated with a little chlorine ; the upper stratum is a 
mixture of water, alcohol and chloroform, and in the course 
of twenty-four hours deposits a quantity of the latter 
product. 
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