4333. To Obtain Phosphorus

4333.    To Obtain Phosphorus. Ground bone-ash, 12 parts; water, 24 parts; mix to a pap in a large tub, and add in a slender stream (still stirring) oil of vitriol, 8 parts ; work well together, adding more water if required; in 24 hours thin with water, agitate well, and, if convenient, heat the mixture in a leaden pan, and as soon as the paste has lost its granular character, transfer it into a series of tall casks; largely dilute with water, and, after settling, decant the clear portion; wash the residue well with water, mix tho clear liquids, and evaporate in a copper or lead pan, till tho calcareous deposit (gypsum) becomes considerable, then cool, decant the clear, and drain tho sediment on a filter; evaporate the clear liquid to the consistence of honey (say to 4 parts), add 1 part of powdered charcoal, and evaporate to dryness in an iron pot, or till the bottom of the latter becomes red hot; the dry mixture, when cold, is put into earthen retorts well covered with luting and properly dried, and heat is applied sideways rather than at the bottom, by means of an air furnace. The beak of the retort is connected with a copper tube, the other end of which is made to dip about 1/4 inch beneath the surface of lukewarm water placed in a trough or wide-mouthed bottle. The distilled product is purified by squeezing it through chamois leather under warm water, and is then moulded for sale by melting it under water heated to about 145° Fahr., plunging the wider end of a slightly tapering but straight glass tube into the water, sucking this up to the top of the glass, so as to warm and wet it, next immersing the end into the liquid phosphorus, and sucking it up to any desired height. The bottom of the tube being now closed with the finger, it is withdrawn, and transferred to a pan of cold water to congeal the phosphorus, which will then commonly fall out, or may be easily expelled by pressure with a piece of wire. Keep it in places where neither light nor heat has access, in phials filled with cold water which has been boiled, to expel all air, and enclose the phials in opaque cases.

4334. Baldwin's Phosphorus

4334.    Baldwin's Phosphorus. Heat nitrate of lime till it melts; keep it fused for 10 minutes, and pour it into a heated iron ladle. When cool, break it into pieces, and keep it in a closely-stoppered bottle. After exposure to the sun's rays, it emits a white light in the dark.

4335. Canton's Phosphorus

4335.    Canton's Phosphorus. Put calcined oyster shells in layers, alternately with sulphur, and heat strongly in a covered crucible for an hour. This is also luminous in the dark after exposure to the sun.

4336. Phosphorus Bottles

4336.    Phosphorus Bottles. Put 12 grains phosphorus with 1/2 ounce olive oil in a 1 ounce phial; and place it, loosely corked, in a basin of hot water; as soon as the phosphorus is melted, remove the phial, cork it securely, and agitate it until nearly cold. On being uncorked it emits sufficient light in the dark to see the time by a watch, and will retain this property for some years if not too frequently employed.