yo 
Bromine. 
(  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
t        Feb.,  187=;. 
mother-liquor  from  the  brine,  after  all  the  salts  separable  by  crystal- 
lization have  been  removed,  contains  the  bromine  in  combination  with 
certain  metallic  bases,  such  as  magnesium  and  calcium. 
Acted  upon  by  sulphuric  acid,  the  bromine  is  displaced  from  its  com- 
bination in  the  form  of  hydro-bromic  acid,  which,  with  the  oxygen 
generated  from  binoxide  manganese,  chlorate  of  potash,  chromate  of 
potash,  etc.,  and  sulphuric  acid,  yields  bromine  and  water 
The  bromine  is  liberated  as  a  gas  by  means  of  heat  applied  to  the 
contents  of  the  distilling  retort  ;  the  gas  is  evolved  and  escapes  from 
the  retort  through  a  leaden  or  earthenware  cooler,  in  which  it  con- 
denses to  a  liquid  and  as  such  discharges  into  the  receiver. 
The  distilling  retort  is  generally  a  sandstone  vessel,  holding  from 
100  to  300  gallons.  Dr.  Alter,  in  his  first  experiments,  used  earthen- 
ware made  with  a  mixture  of  pulverized  coke.  Other  material  has 
been  proposed  and  used,  such  as  fire-clay,  wood  and  lead. 
The  following  figures  will  show  the  increase  of  production  from 
1867  to  1873. 
Estimated  Yearly  Production. 
In 
1867 
from 
10,000 
to 
15,000 
pounds, 
IC 
1868 
cc 
35,000 
cc 
40,000 
cc 
cc 
1869 
cc 
65,000 
cc 
70,000 
cc 
CI 
1870 
C4 
100,000 
cc 
I  10,000 
cc 
cc 
I87I 
cc 
125,000 
cc 
130,000 
cc 
cc 
1872 
cc 
160,000 
cc 
165,000 
cc 
cc 
1873 
cc 
170,000 
cc 
175,000 
cc 
Until  1870,  the  total  production  was  consumed  in  the  United  States. 
In  that  vear  the  first  parcel  was  exported  to  Germany.  Since  then, 
more  or  less,  everv  vear,  finds  its  way  to  the  European  market.  Of 
late  the  production  has  far  exceeded  the  demand. 
Over-production  has  so  depressed  prices  that  there  is  very  little  en- 
couragement for  those  already  engaged  in  the  business,  and  no  induce- 
ment for  manufacturers  to  start  additional  factories,  as  may  be  inferred 
from  the  following  particulars  given  by  one  of  our  correspondents  : 
At  this  period  the  business  had  passed  into  the  hands  of  so  many 
that  it  was  feared  it  was  entirely  ruined,  and  to  prevent  further  spread, 
I  erected  an  extensive  factory  on  the  Kanahwa  river,  seventy-five  miles 
distant  from  this  point,  for  the  purpose  of  making  the  bittern  of  this 
valley  tributary  to  my  business.  My  business  now  includes  large  fac- 
tories at  the  Valley  City  Furnace,  Hartford  City,  West  Virginia  ;  at 
