This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1852 edition. Excerpt: ...consequently could form no other conjecture, save that the copper can had been the cause of the difliculty. I found that the black particles mentioned were easily separated from the oil by filtration. The filtrate was not perceptibly darker than the original oil. It was tested for the presence of copper, but gave no indication of its presence. The black mass separated by the filter was then removed, and deprived of the remainder of the oil present by absorbents. I could not rid it perfectly by this process. It was again placed upon the filter and treated with ether (in which the black substance was insoluble, ) as long as it took up asensible trace of oil. It was, after drying, of a light slate color, and possessed a. slight taste and smell of sassafras, and was insoluble in alcohol. A portion of it was incinerated upon a platina foil; it produced a voluminous smoke and left a small amount of cinder, which, upon urging the heat by the blowpipe, consumed only partially. Upon examining it with a lens, small metallic globules were visible, and when attempting to remove the residue from the foil, it became evident that the globules were reduced lead, and that a portion of them had become amalgamated with the foil. A larger portion was then placed upon charcoal and ignited, and the reduced metal dissolved in nitric acid, and tested for copper, tin, and lead. Lead only was found. Another portion was heated in a glass tube, and the fumes condensed in the cool portion. It had a slight sassafras odor, and was acid to test paper. It was evidently a pyro-product. It is evident, from the above, that sassafras oil has the property of forming a compound with lead. The question now arises, from whence came it? Did it come from the apparatus that oil was..