is caloric is given out in the refrigeratory or in the
worm, and the substance again recovers its liquid or solid form, but the
substances submitted to compound distillation are absolutely
decompounded; one part, as for instance the charcoal they contain,
remains fixed in the retort, and all the rest of the elements are
reduced to gasses of different kinds. Some of these are susceptible of
being condensed, and of recovering their solid or liquid forms, whilst
others are permanently aeriform; one part of these are absorbable by
water, some by the alkalies, and others are not susceptible of being
absorbed at all. An ordinary distilling apparatus, such as has been
described in the preceding chapter, is quite insufficient for retaining
or for separating these diversified products, and we are obliged to have
recourse, for this purpose, to methods of a more complicated nature.

The apparatus I am about to describe is calculated for the most
complicated distillations, and may be simplified according to
circumstances. It consists of a tubulated glass retort A, Pl. IV. Fig.
1. having its beak fitted to a tubulated balloon or recipient BC; to the
upper orifice D of the balloon a bent tube DEfg is adjusted, which, at
its other extremity g, is plunged into the liquor contained in the
bottle L, with three necks xxx. Three other similar bottles are
connected with this first one, by means of three similar bent tubes
disposed in the same manner; and the farthest neck of the last bottle is
connected with a jar in a pneumato-chemical apparatus, by means of a
bent tube[60]. A determinate weight of distilled water is usually put
into the first bottle, and the other three have each a solution of
caustic potash in water. The weight of all these bottles, and of the
water and alkaline solution they contain, must be accurately
ascertained. Every thing being thus disposed, the junctures between the
retort and recipient, and of the tube D of the latter, must be luted
with fat lute, covered over with slips of linen, spread with lime and
white of egg; all the other junctures are to be secured by a lute made
of wax and rosin melted together.

When all these dispositions are completed, and when, by means of heat
applied to the retort A, the substance it contains becomes decomposed,
it is evident that the least volatile products must condense or sublime
in the beak or neck of the retort itself, where most of the concrete
substances will fix themselve