be found in the late Colonel J.P. Cundill, R.A.'s "Dictionary
of Explosives."

CHAPTER VII.

_ANALYSIS OF EXPLOSIVES._

Kieselguhr Dynamite--Gelatine Compounds--Tonite--Cordite--Vaseline--
Acetone--Scheme for Analysis of Explosives--Nitro-Cotton--Solubility Test--
Non-Nitrated Cotton--Alkalinity--Ash and Inorganic Matter--Determination
of Nitrogen--Lunge, Champion and Pellet's, Schultze-Tieman, and Kjeldahl's
Methods--Celluloid--Picric Acid and Picrates--Resinous and Tarry Matters--
Sulphuric Acid and Hydrochloric Acid and Oxalic Acid--Nitric Acid--
Inorganic Impurities--General Impurities and Adulterations--Potassium
Picrate, &c.--Picrates of the Alkaloids--Analysis of Glycerine--Residue--
Silver Test--Nitration--Total Acid Equivalent--Neutrality--Free Fatty
Acids--Combined Fatty Acids--Impurities--Oleic Acid--Sodium Chloride--
Determination of Glycerine--Waste Acids--Sodium Nitrate--Mercury
Fulminate--Cap Composition--Table for Correction of Volumes of Gases, for
Temperature and Pressure

~Kieselguhr Dynamite.~--The material generally consists of 75 per cent. of
nitro-glycerine and 25 per cent. of the infusorial earth kieselguhr. The
analysis is very simple, and may be conducted as follows:--Weigh out about
10 grms. of the substance, and place over calcium chloride in a desiccator
for some six to eight days, and then re-weigh. The loss of weight gives
the moisture. This will generally be very small, probably never more than
1 per cent., and usually less.

Mr James O. Handy, in order to save time, proposes to dry dynamite in the
following manner. He places 1 grm. of the material in a porcelain crucible
1 inch in diameter. The crucible is then supported at the bottom of an
extra wide-mouthed bottle of about 600 c.c. capacity. Air, which has been
dried by bubbling through strong sulphuric acid, is now drawn over the
surface of the sample for three hours by means of an ordinary aspirator.
The air should pass approximately at the rate of 10 c.c. per second. The
tube by which the dry air enters the bottle extends to within 1 inch of
the crucible containing the dynamite. An empty safety bottle is connected
with the inlet, and another with the outlet of the wide-mouthed bottle.
The first guards against the mechanical carrying over by the air current
of sulphuric acid from the acid bottle into the sample, whilst the second
prevents spasmodic outbursts of water from the exhaust from reaching the
sample. The method