Essentials of chemistry : inorganic and organic, for the use of students in medicine / by R.A. Witthaus.

  • Witthaus, R. A. (Rudolph August), 1846-1915.
Date:
1879, ©1878
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Essentials of chemistry : inorganic and organic, for the use of students in medicine / by R.A. Witthaus. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    226. What is another name for sulphuric acid? Oil of vitriol. The name is derived from the fact that S04H2 is obtained by the distillation of sulphate of iron or vitriol. 227. What are the 'properties of pure sulphuric acid f It is a dense, oily, colorless liquid ; sp. gr. 1.8-12. It is intensely caustic, destroying organic matter with great energy, and must therefore be handled with great care. It boils at 338, a part being de- composed, but the greater part distilling unchanged. It has a great tendency to unite with water, which it absorbs from the air, increasing thereby in vol- ume ; for this reason it should never be left ex- posed, lest it deteriorate in strength, and also, in- creasing in volume, overflow the vessel. Owing to this tendency of S04H2 to unite with water, it chars and destroys organic matter. When diluted with water, great heat is produced ; and to guard against accidents, the mixture should always be made in a vessel of thin glass, and the acid should be added to the water—never the water to the acid. 228. Name and describe the varieties of this acid used in the arts and in pharmacy. Commercial: An oily fluid, with a brownish tinge (due to charred organic matter) ; sp. gr. 1.72, and containing 81 per cent, of true S04H2. Pure: Acidum sulphurimm, U.S.P., a colorless, oily fluid, having sp. gr. 1.842. Note.—Practically, it is a matter of great difficulty to obtain perfectly pure S04H2. Acidum sulphuricwn dihttum, U.S.P. The last acid diluted with water to sp. gr. 1.082, contains about J 2 per cent, pure S04H2.