Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-06-06
PRODUCTS OF PETROLEUM..
THE MANY STRANGE USES TO
WHICH THIS OIL IS PUT.

The petroleum that is the product of.
the various oil districts of this country is
an oily liquid that assumes every shade
from jet black to a nearly colorless fluid.
Its odor is peculiar, disagreeable, persist
ent. As it comes from the wells it is j..
generally, however, of a dark green hue.
by reflected light, and often irridescent.
In this condition, however, it is useless
for commercial purposes, and has to be
subjected to the processes of refining. In
ordinary processes the distillate is divided
into three general portions. The first con-
sists of the lightest and most volatile oils,
which are colorless, some of them being
as volatile as ether. These oils are known
under the general name of naphtha, but,
like the crude petroleum, this crude
naphtha may be also distilled and divided
into gasoline, and different grades of
naphtha which are used in gas machines,
for mixing paints and other similar pur-
poses, and sometimes also for burning in
street lamps and stoves. The middle por--
ton of the distillate is the crude illumi-
mating oil or kerosene. As it runs from
the still it has an exceedingly offensive
odor, due to decompositions of certain
portions of the petroleum at the high
temperature reached in the still. To re-
move these offensive compounds the oil
is first treated with about five per cent.
of strong oil of vitriol. This combines
with the bad-smelling oils, forming
black, tarry residue that falls to the bot
-, of fha oil 10
brought to rest. After the acid compound
is drawn off and the oil washed with
water it is again washed with strong
solution of caustic soda, which removes
the excess of sulphuric acid, and then
there is still another washing with water
to remove any of the caustic soda that =
may remain in the oil. The oil is now
nearly colorless, with the peculiar bal
Samic odor of kerosene and the slightly
opalescent color which is seen in this
class of oils.
But while these are the general pro-
ducts of petroleum there are countless
others that have been evolved by closer
chemical treatment. A few of these
alone can be mentioned. One of the by
products of the volatile portions of
petroleum is rhigolene. This, like ether,
has been employed successfully in sur
gerry for producing local anesthesia by
the actual freeing of the part operated
on by the knife. 1t is chiefly employed
in the opening of small assesses and the
extirpation of tumors. 1t has also been
employed in the artificial production of
ice, in place of ether or ammonia, in the
freezing machines.
Another product is benzine, which,
when deoderized, is employed for de-
tergent purposes, for the extraction of
grease from all kinds of fabrics and for
other uses when the disagreeable odor of
crude benzine is not Objectionable.
Some slight ailusion has already been
made to the employment of petroleum in
the treatment of certain diseases of men
and other animals, yet Notwithstanding
the fact that the records of such use date
from the earliest times, it is only in the .
last few years that it has obtained an es-
tablished place in the pharmacop9ia of
any country. 1t has long enjoyed a repu-
tation as an outward remedy in a variety
of cutaneous diseases, and the men en-
ployed about the oil wells, both of this
and foreign countries, resort to it as a
sovereign cure for rheumatism, sprains
and bruises. It is an ingredient in a
number of patent nostrums, which have
sustained long and successful run, and
if there be any virtue in such ''specifcs"
as "Harlem oil, " "Turlington.s balsam,"
'British oil" etc., it is due to their
chief remedial neutrality-suspicious.. -'
The popular chewing gum is composed
largely of the petroleum wax called par
affine, and is destitute of deleterious ef-
fects.
The crude oil is powerfully destructive
of insect life, and in the region of the
wells and in many other parts of the
country, is largely used to protect men
and animals from the attacks of mosqui-
toes and as a protection from the poisonous
gad-fy. Incorporated with soap it is a
most effectual remedy for mango, or scab
on dogs and sheep. 1t has also been sue
cessfully employed for Kidding plants of
parasites. Moths in garments and car
pets are completely removed by bath in
nsphtha. ..
Perhaps no more important contri-
button has been made to our phar-
macopeia for number of years than the
dense product known variously as vase
line, cosmoline, petroline, etc. The
manufacturers of these materials claim
protection for their products under the
patent laws, but they are nothing more
nor less than amorphous paraffine with
low melting point. In the preparation
of ointments, cerates, etc., vaseline is in
many respects very far superior to the
animal or vegetable fats hitherto en-
ployed. Having no chemical affinity or
action on any of the medical ingredients
used, ointments compounded with vase
line as base remain unchanged for years.
Cold cream and citrine ointment are both
of them now made from vaseline, and
''French" culinary secret may be divulged
by stating that. this common product of
petroleum has found useful place as a
substitute for olive oil in frying meats
and oysters. Being absolutely free from
taste or smell, and quite harmless, it is
said to be superior to any of the fats
hitherto employed for such purposes.
The next most important contribution
to pharmacy by petroleum is the employ
,nent of benzine. in sextractino from Dlants