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Absolute Alcohol

To procure into small fragments, mix with the alcohol in imperial pint; lime, 18 ounces; break the lime absolute or anhydrous alcohol, take the bladder a retort properly connected, and expose the of an ox or calf, soak it for some time in mixture to a gentle heat until the lime begins ; then withdraw the heat until the from the attached fat and vessels; this must slaking is finished. Now raise the heat gently be done on both sides. After it is again and distill off 17 fluid ounces. obtained will have a density, when the ope- Alcohol thus ration is carefully managed, of 0.796. inflated and dried, smear over the outer surface twice, and the inner surface four times, with a solution of isinglass. Then nearly fill it with the spirit to be concentrated, leaving only a small space vacant; it is then to be securely fastened, and suspended in a warm situation, at a temperature of about 122° Fahr., over a sand bath, or in the neighboran oven or fire. In six to twelve hours, if the heat be properly conducted, the spirit will be concentrated, and in a little time longer may be rendered nearly free from water (anhydrous) or of the strength of 97 or 98 per cent.

This alcohol will be sufficiently pure for all the common purposes of the manufacturers, and is an excellent spirit for making varnishes, &c. The same bladder will serve more than one hundred times; and in fact a common bladder, thoroughly cleansed from fat, and washed and dried, may be used without any further preparation. The bladder should be kept very nearly full, or else a portion of the spirit will escape through the empty part. To prevent this accident, a bottle C D B A with a double neck, of the shape represented in the engraving, may be employed. By this means the bladder may be kept always full.

Common Alcohol. Take a pint of common 1443. To Increase the Strength of spirits, and put it into a bottle which it will only fill about full. Add to it ounce pearlash or salt of tartar, powdered as much as it can be without occasioning any great loss of its heat. Shake the mixture frequently for about half an hour, before which time a considerable sediment, like phlegm, will bo separated from the spirits, and will appear along with the undissolved pearlash or salt at the bottom of the bottle. Then pour the spirit off into another bottle, being careful to bring none of the sediment or salt along with it.

For this purpose an instrument called a separating funnel is well adapted. To the quantity just poured off add 1/2 ounce pearlash, powdered and heated as before, and repeat the same treatment. Continue to do this as often as necessary, till little or no sediment forms; when this is the case, 1 ounce of alum, powdered and made hot, but not burned, must be put into the spirits, and suffered to remain some hours, the bottle being frequently shaken during the time; after which the spirit, when poured off, will be found free from all impurities, and equal to the best rectified spirits of wine. wine.