Petroleum Spirits are the lighter products obtained in the distillation of crude petroleum or mineral oil. Similar products are obtained in distilling bituminous shales, natural asphaltums and crude gas tar.

When crude mineral oil is subjected to distillation, the resulting products are, first, the gasolines, as they boil and volatalize at low temperatures. There are three gravities of gasoline in common use. The lightest is so extremely volatile as to be rather unsafe. It is used to enrich gas for illuminating and alone in gas machines and also as a solvent. It is known as 84 degree gasoline.

The next gasoline is commonly called stove gasoline, or 76 degree gasoline and is the one most in use in gas engines, gas stoves for domestic purposes and in cleaning and renovating.

The so-caled 71 degree gasoline is used for similar purposes, but is not sufficiently volatile, especially in low temperatures, to readily gasify.

After distilling off the gasolines, the benzines come over. The one best known and generally procurable is styled 62 degree benzine, or naptha, which name is applied to gasolines also. This is used as a solvent and is largely substituted for turpentine in the manufacture of varnishes and in thinning paint. In the manufacture of turpentine substitutes, this product is largely employed. It can be made almost odorless by chemical treatment and redistillation.

The next product is kerosene, or illuminating oil, which is serviceable, not only in the production of light and heat, but is used to a limited extent in paints and varnishes for special purposes. A good kerosene oil should be free from any unpleasant or marked odor and should not flash (take fire) under 150 degrees Fahrenheit.

A somewhat heavier oil suitable for illuminating purposes called 300 degree or solar oil is used to advantage in preparing signal oils.

The further products of crude oil which come over at higher temperatures or remain in the still as residues to be further treated are paraffine oils, the heavier lubricating oils, vaseline, paraffine wax and a dark residue used as a coarse lubricant and in cheap heavy axle greases. All these products from the crude petroleum, after distillation, are subjected to further treatment in order to deodorize and clarify or refine them suitably for the purposes intended.

Coal tar naptha is the light product distilled from coal tar. It resembles benzine, but has a tarry odor. As a solvent in paints and varnishes, it can often advantageously replace turpentine where cheapness is an object.