WASH. The fermented wort of the distiller.
WASH-BALLS. See Savonettes.
WASH-BOTTLE. The principle of this very common and indispensable laboratory utensil, by which precipitates are washed, will be readily understood by reference to No. 1 of the engravings below.
The bottle being two thirds filled with distilled waters by blowing into the shorter tube, b, a small jet of water is forced through the nozzle of the longer tube, c. We give the following directions for the construction of a WASH-BOTTLE, from Mr Clowes’ excellent little manual, entitled ‘An Elementary Treatise on Practical Chemistry,’[257]—“A thin, flat-bottomed flask is chosen, of 16 or 18 ounces capacity; the neck must not be less than an inch in diameter. Procure a sound cork, which is slightly too large to enter the neck, soften the cork by placing it upon the floor and rolling it backwards and forwards under the foot with gentle pressure; when thus softened the cork must fit tightly into the flask.[258] Two pieces of glass tubing rather longer than would be required for the tubes a
and b are then bent into the form shown in Fig. 1. The ends of the tubes are, if necessary, cut off to the right length, and their sharp edges rounded by holding them in the Bunsen flame, or the tip of the blowpipe flame.
[257] J. and A. Churchill, New Burlington Street.
[258] “A vulcanized india-rubber stopper is much more durable for this and most other chemical processes. It is perforated by a sharp, well-wetted cork bore, or by a wetted round file.”
Fig. 1, Fig. 2. and Fig. 3.
“Two parallel holes are then bored in the cork by means of a round file, or by a proper size cork-borer: the holes must be rather smaller than the glass tubes, and must not run into one another, or to the outside of the cork. They are slightly enlarged, if necessary, by the round file. Into these holes the tubes a and b are then pushed with a twisting motion; if the holes have been made of the proper size the tubes must enter somewhat stiffly, but without requiring much pressure. Upon the upper end of a is fitted a small piece of india-rubber tubing, about an inch and a half in length, and into the other end of this is a finished short jet (c) made by drawing out a piece of glass tubing in the flame; its nozzle may be constructed, if necessary, by holding it perfectly dry in the flame for some time. The neck of the bottle should then be bound round with twine, like the handle of a cricket-bat, or tightly covered with a piece of flannel. This prevents the fingers from being burnt when the bottle contains boiling water.”