Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1841-07-08


use as substitute for common oil, is sbun-
dainty obvious by their order.' ! am no,
sufficiently acquainted with chemical terms
60 define what is meant by the order Of those
liquids, but he corects the assertion in no
ticing Spirit Gas, which is as have before
stated, seven cightls Alcohol, and one eighth
Spirits Turpentine, or Whereabouts, and OF
course extremely nnammable. lie goes on
TO say "thc liquid called Grcenough's Chcmi
cal Oil, which has recently been employed
in lamps Of much beauty and of various forms,
appears TO be pretty pure Spirits of Turpen.
Tine" This he states ns from his own knowl.
edge or observation. "N is sail" (continucs
Prof. w. that is, he has been informedD "it
contains q small quantity Of Alcohol and Cam
phor." This is not true there is no Aco-
hol used in the prcparaton-t would not add
to the brliancy of the light, aud the least
quantity would make it equally as dangerous
asSpirt Casio being oflcss specific gravity
tban Spirits Of Turpentine, it would occupy
the surfaec, and taking fire first, would com.
municate it to the whole mass nor is there
the addition of grain of Camphor in the
composition, OF manufacture, Of any OF those
liquids in use, known under the names Of
Chemical Oil, Camphene or Camphogcn they
arc oil the same substance under different
names, all procured by the distillation Of
Spirits of ofTurpenlne, to purify its crude par
ticles, which would foul the lamps and wicks.
The basis of Spirits of Turpcntine is SUBJ
stance, called by Chemists ".4rijfeiat Cam
phor." 1t is this which chiefly occasions its
pungent smell, and combustibity. Spirits of
Turpentine can be converted into a solid
mass, analogous to camphor, merely by pas
sing through it, muriatic acid gas hence the
name Camphene-the specific gravity of
Camphor is 95 and that of Camphenc oil &C.
The learned Professor, to whose opinion so
much weight is attached, states nothing Of
his own personal knowledge of the prcparu-
ton of Camphcne Oil. He says "it is stated"
(tha, is to say, he has been toiaD "that this
Chemical OIL is n new combination. There
may be some new arrangement for dStilling
it, but there Is nothing new in the product |;
it is essentially Oil of rTurpen,ine. "Tbe new
combination is also said 10 be brought about
by aid Of lime and other substances" state
this TO shcw that what he states is not from
his own personal knowledge of the facts
but he has been told so and so by others. 1t
it is of little consequence whether the same
process is used in this country az is used IN
France by the French Chemists, if, as he
. snys, the product is the same. can state
process here, because it would be useless it
is used in preparing Hydrogen gas, for gas
lights, by dry dsta,ion, to absorb the car
bonic acid gas combined with the Hydrogen.
which would otherwise cause a blue root to
tho fame of gas and as there is no blue
root to the fame Of Camphcnc Oil, there is
no carbonic ncd in combination.
lie says, as of his own knowledge, "the
addition Of a small quantity Of oil of Turpcn-
tine to alcohol, will cause it to burn with
n,nch light--,he SO called Spirit Gas from
the uso Of which so many and fatal accidents
have occurred, is n compound of this nature,
the alcohol being in larger proportion, then
following out the idea of the correctness of
what he had been told in relation 10 the com.
position Of Camphene oil, he says, "The
danger Of fire from common spirits Of turpen-
tine is well known, and this danger is in
creased if alcolrol and camphor are combined
with it," This is true, C alcohol and cam
phoi are combined with IT, 1t is equally true,
that there is neither alcohol nor camphor
combined with the Campheno nsed ms sub
s,tutc for oil excepting the substance already
mentioned as the base of Spirits of Turpcn-
tiuc. The great number Of Camphenc lamps
now in use, and which have been in nae for
two or three years, without the happening OF
single accident, having never in single
Instance "erpioded," nor any one having
burnt their fingers" is pretty good evidence
of its perfect safety. If that is not sufficient,
aud any one wishes for better evidence, and
To ascertain the difference between wha,
Camphenc realty is, and what by this effort,
those whose interest will be effected by its
general introduction would ,eish 10 make il
appear to be; add to one gallon of Canphcne,
one table spoonful Of alcohol at s0@ above
proof, and touch a piece of paper in fame 10
il, and it will be set OH fire, and the whole
will be consumed, but plunge brand of fire
in fame into gallon or more Of the Cam
phcnc now in use, and it will cx,ingulsl the
fame, coal aud all, as if it we're plunged into
water. Ifa piece Of paper in flame be lait
on the top of the canphcnc, as soon as it il
warmed sufficiently for vapor to rise, 1t viii
take fire and he consumed, as sperm OF
would under similar circumstances.
The learned Professor asserts on the all
ihotiiy OF those who deceived him as to tho
component parts of Chemical Oil or Cam
phenc, "ihat Camphcnc, Spirit Gas, Chem
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