Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1852-02-28
For tie Southern Standard.
ChlNrOfGrm.

surgical operations, brief account of its origin
composition, properties, DC, would at least prove
interesting to portion of your numerous readers
Choroform is substance that has long been
known to chemists, under the name of 90 Oil of
Dutch Chemists, - and Dutch Oil >" 1t was
first discovered in 1896, by an association of Dutch
chemists at Harlem they also discovered at the
same time bcarburetted hydrogen gass, which
they called olehant glass; from the fact OF Its pro-
ducing this oily compound, or Dutch OIL, when
combined with its own volume of chlorine. Inc
terms ehloric ether, bichloric ether perchlord OF
formyle and Dutch oil are all synonyms OF Chic
reform. The term Chloroform was first proposed
bv Dumas. signifyng, he suggested the rela-
t;on Of this substance to formic acid, its hypo
thetical radical formyle.
The production of - chloric ether (it being
50 called) by the action of alcohol with chloride
of lime, was discovered almost simultaneously
and without conference by Samuel Guthrie of
Sacketts Harbor, n. Y, in 1871, and by NJ. E.
Souberan in France. In both cases alcohol was
distilled from a solution of chloride of lime in
ter but in different proportions. The medical arti-
Gle known under the name of ''c hloric ether,
as it is usually found in trade, is a very impure
alcoholic mixture, and which retains very little of
the real properties of the Chloroform. 1t may
do for internal use as a difusive stimulcnt; but
not to inhale as an anlesthetc agent in surgical
operations, as sickness of the stomatch and head
ache follows its administration.
The general mode of preparing Chlorlform is
to introduce six pounds of dry chloride of lime
into copper still, containing four gallons of wa
ter, the still having capacity of ten or twelve
gallons. Half gallon Of alcohol is added--the
materials are well mixed and cautious distilation
commenced; a strong condensing apparatus is at
taEhed, and very soon the dense globules Of Chic
riform are seen falling into the receiver.
Soubeiran recommends the following process
Distil with brisk fire. 10 parts chloride of lime
well mixed with 60 parts of hot water; AMI two
parts Of rectifed spirits of sp. gr. So, from a
copper still, only twothirds filled, into refgera-
ted receiver, being particular to not let the tenn
perature exceed 1859 Messrs. Duncan d Flock
hart, druggists of Edinburg, manufacture Chloro-
form on large scale. They employ two large
wooden barrels as a still, and third as a receiver
Into the two first they introduce steam which both
furnishes heat and water for the process. Sixty
each distilation by this process they have made
as high as three hundred ounces of Chloroform a
day. On an average they have found that the
chloride of lime employed yields half its weight
Of Chloroform.
NJ. NJ. Huralet and Larocqua recommend the
following as the cheapest mode of manufacturing
the Choroform Put into still heated with .
water bath, 81 quarts of water which must be
heated to about 1909 far. then stir in 4 pounds
quick lime previously Stacked and 22 pounds
chloride of lime, upon this pour 5 pints of alcho-
hol of 85, and when the whole is mixed, the head
is to be put on the STILL and the water Of the bath
Caused to boil soon possible, observing to
slacken the fire as soon as the heat reaches the
neck of the still. They have estimated that chic
reform made by this process can be afforded al
1875 per pound:
Chloroform, when not carefully prepared and
fully purified from all the chorna;ed oils, is apt
when inhaled, to occasion giIdness, head ache
and nausea. Il Is therefore Of some consequence
10 be acquainted with the most delicate tests, by
which the purity of this important substance car
be determined One of the tests recommended by
Prof. Gregory pure and colorless ulphuric acid
''If such acid remains colorless after being agtatcC
with double its own bulk of chloroform, it may b
taken as evidence that the chIoroform is pure ;
however the acid be dscolored or changed to
yellow or brown, after being agitated with clio
reform, it should be rejected as impure" A NOR
convenient mote Of determining the purity c
ehlorofornn as far as the elaborated oils are con
cerned, is to put few drops in clean watc
crystal; if it readily evaporates and leaves II
dscOloration upon the glass; it may be considere
pure, otherwise it should be rejected. l shout
have previously remarked that chloroform, afte
being condemned from the still, must in all case
pass through purifying process. The cours
now pursued By the most of manufacturers,
first to wash it we'll with distilled water and the
with sulphuric acid the publication is then con
pleted with peroxyd of manganese, with which
Is agitated, and left in contact, until the odor
sulphurous acid is removed.
Chloroform from its high price is frequent
aduiterated with ether and alcohol, with both
which it readily combines NJ Mialhe has pr
posed the following test for the presence of ale
hol. Drop into distilled water small norton
chloroform. If it be pure it remains transpare
at the bottom of the glass, but, if it contain
even small proportion of alcohol the globul
acquire milky appearance.
10