SULPHOCARBOLIC  ACID  AND  THE  SULPHOCARBOLATES.  211 
oily  liquid  giving  off  a  peculiarly  disagreeable  odor,  entirely  dif- 
ferent from  that  of  carbolic  acid. 
In  forming  the  sulphocarbolic  acid  I  used  the  chemically-pure 
sulphuric  acid,  sp.  gr.  1*823,  and  Calvert's  No.  2  carbolic  acid. 
The  interchange  of  elements  which  takes  place  when  sulpho- 
carbolic acid  is  formed  may  be  represented  by  the  following 
reactions  :  one  equivalent  of  carbolic  acid  =  Ci2^6^2  ~  ? 
equivalent  of  sulphuric  acid  SO3HO  ==  49 ;  then  C-j^2^6^2  + 
SO3HO  Ci^HgO^SOsHO  =^G,Jlfi,  SO3,  2H0,  which  might  be 
considered  sulphophenic  acid,  or  a  hydrated  sulphate  of  the  oxide 
of  phenyl. 
Sulphocarbolic  acid  has  been  experimented  with  in  regard  to 
its  disinfectant  properties,  and  found  to  be  much  more  efficient 
than  carbolic  acid  alone.* 
With  salifiable  bases  it  combines  and  forms  salts,  which  have 
been  called  sulphocarbolates.  These  have  a  faint  odor  of  car- 
bolic acid,  and  are  supposed  to  have  its  therapeutical  properties 
combined  with  its  respective  bases,  without  its  causticity,  ren- 
dering it  suitable  for  internal  administration. 
In  heating  the  acid,  great  care  should  be  used  not  to  heat  it 
too  suddenly.  There  is  apt  to  form  at  the  bottom  of  the  vessel 
a  black  liquid,  caused  by  too  great  a  temperature,  resulting  in 
the  decomposition  of  the  acid. 
Sulphocarholate  of  Soda. 
This  salt  is  at  present  considered  of  the  most  important  of  the 
series.  It  may  be  produced  by  taking  one  volume  of  sulpho- 
carbolic acid,  adding  six  volumes  of  water,  and  completely  satu- 
rating with  carbonate  of  soda  in  crystals.  The  solution  is  then 
filtered  and  evaporated  slowly  over  a  sand  or  water  bath  until  a 
slight  pellicle  is  formed,  when  it  is  set  aside  to  crystallize. 
When  the  crystals  are  all  formed,  the  mother-water  may  be  still 
further  evaporated,  and  a  new  crop  of  crystals  obtained. 
Should  they  contain  coloring  matter,  or  the  crystals  not  be  well 
formed,  a  re-solution  and  crystallization  will  produce  a  beautiful 
salt,  free  from  coloring  matter  and  of  well  defined  rhomboidal 
prisms,  soluble  in  five  parts  of  cold  water  at  60°  F.  and  in  two- 
*  Yide  Pharmacist,  Chicago,  Sept.  1869. 
