Important: Safety Warning
This page describes the casual use of chloroform, ether, or similar anesthetics. These substances can kill by respiratory arrest with little warning and must never be used outside a medical setting.
In addition, this page describes trade processes that use dangerously toxic materials such as cyanide solutions, mercury amalgams, or strong acids. These processes require training, equipment, and precautions far beyond what the text describes.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
Home › Miscellaneous Chemicals › To Obtain Pure Chloroform
To Obtain Pure Chloroform
Place in a capacious still 3 gallons water and 30 fluid ounces rectified spirit, and raise the temperature to 100° Fahr. Add 10 pounds chlorinated lime (slacked lime saturated with chlorine gas), and 5 pounds slacked lime, chlorine is best introduced by a tube inserted mixing thoroughly. Apply heat, which must into the tubulature of the retort, and a long be withdrawn as soon as distillation has comtube, bent upwards, should be connected with menced, and distill 50 ounces; agitate it with the beak to convey away the hydrochloric + gallon water, and allow the crude chloroform acid gas extricated, and to allow the volatilto settle. Separate and wash the chloroform ized alcohol and chloral to condense and flow with 3 fluid ounces distilled water, repeating back into the retort. this operation 3 times, each time with fresh distilled water. Next agitate the chloroform There is perhaps scarcely a liquid in which