Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1869-05-26

amount of glycerine use in its manufac-
/ ture.
In pharmacy for the preservation of
pills, to mix with many substances, IN
cOmpOunding prescriptions, and in more
ways than can be remembered, glycer-
inc now plays an important part.
In the arts it finds its way as the best
wash for the interior of the mOlds in the
/ casting of plaster figures, to prevent the
/ gypsum from adhering to the sides OF
/ the mold.
/ In dyeing with some of our beautiful
organic cOlOrS, glyceTine is extensively
/ employed with the best effect.
/ In chemistry it is used to prevent the
/ pTecipatiOn of the heavy metals by the
alkaIiee, and is thus 4 reagent in anal
ysis.
For making an extract of malt to I'M
prove OF spoil, as the case may be, the
/ beer manufactured in the usual way, gly-
cerine has recently attracted great deal
of attention, and been the object Of eN-
/ tensiye speculatiOns ifnOt OfimpOsluOns
upon the public.
In the preparation Of liquors it has
been found to be admirably adapted for
preserving the characteristic tlavOrs of
those compounds, and it has consequent
" become the great favOrite of this class
of manufacturers.
As Clycerine is a remarkable staple
compound, it is adapted to the preserva-
tiOn of wines, and this legitimate use of
it has suggested to the adUlteratOTS an
extensive fraud upon the community
Vast quantities Of glyceriDe are annual
" manufactured, and as the uses of it
will not account for the consumption OF
more than a small fraction of what is
= lfASoY71t To oy-1N10iro f1n die
appearance of the remainder. What
takes place in the dark champagne
vaults and cool sUbterTanean wine Gel
lars evidently will not bear the light of
day, and hence we neither see nor hear
of what becomes of the great stream of
glyceTine that is known to flow into
them. Fortunately, tits not a poisonous
substance. and its use for adulteratiOn is
consequently attended with less detri-
ment to our stOmachs than to our pOCk-
cts. Whether the Coming man" will
drink pure glycerine instead Of wine
must be left for future consideration.
1t has been discovered that glycerine
can be fermented into alcohol with chalk
and cheese, and it may be possible here
after to manufacture alcohol in this way.
The discovery is an important one, and
may suggest some improved and cheap
method for obtaining alcoholic and as
cetic acid
The last use of gIycerine thatwe shall
mention is, perhaps, the most important
of all, its extensive application in the
manufacture of fnitro-glycerine. The eX-
plOsive oils are made by treating glyCer-
inc with nitric and sUlphuTic acids in a
peculiar manner. 1t has been known to
chemists for some years, but it is only re-
Gently that a Swedish engineer has had
the hardihOod to propose it as a substi-
tUte for blasting powder. Its introduce
ton has been attended with fatal con-
sequences to many of the pioneers and
earliest adventures who have expert
mented upon its properties, but it is
making rapid progress to public favor,
and few years will, beyond question,
displace the Old-fashiOned powder, and
reign it its stead. By mixing the oil
with sand, a solid explosive agent has
been made, which is called dynamite.
This is much less dangerous than the
oil, and nearly as destructive in its
effects, as it contains rs per cent. nitro
glyceTine. \ patent percussion cap and
a safety fuse is required for the eXplO-
sion of the dynamite, and, according to
all accounts, it appears to be less dan
gerOus than gunpOwder.
The glycerine, which has come into
notice within a few years, has become
an article of great importance, and as
its cOnqUests are daily extending, we
may expect to become familiar with it,
and to learn to appreciate it as another
valuable contribution Of chemical sci
encc to the ordinary wants of man.