Holes can be bored through glass and bottles with a broken end of a round file kept wet with a solution of camphor in oil of turpentine.
21. To Perforate Corks.
Experiment 12.—First make a small hole in the cork with the pointed handle of a round—rat-tail—file. Have the hole perpendicular to the surface of the cork. This can be done by holding the cork in the left hand and pressing against the larger surface, or upper part, of the cork, with the file in the right hand. Only a mere opening is made in this way, which must be enlarged by the other end of the file. A second or third file of larger size may be employed, according to the size of the hole to be made, which must be a little smaller than the tube it is to receive, and perfectly round.
CHAPTER VI.
OXYGEN.
22. To Obtain Oxygen.
Experiment 13.—Take 5 g. of crystals of potassium chlorate (KClO3) and, without pulverizing, mix with the same weight of pure powdered manganese dioxide (MnO2). Put the mixture into a t.t., and insert a d.t.—delivery-tube—having the cork fit tightly. Hang it on a r.s.—ring-stand,— as in Figure 7, having the other end of the d.t.
(Fig 7.)
under the shelf, in a pneumatic trough, filled with water just above the shelf. Fill three or more receivers—wide-mouthed bottles—with water, cover the mouth of each with a glass plate, invert it with its mouth under water, and put it on the shelf of the trough, removing the plate. No air should be in the bottles. Have the end of the d.t. so that the gas will rise through the orifice. Hold a lighted lamp in the hand, and bring the flame against the mixture in the t.t. Keep
the lamp slightly in motion, with the hand, so as not to break the t.t. by over-heating in one place. Heat the mixture strongly, if necessary. The upper part of the t.t. is filled with air: allow this to escape for a few seconds; then move a receiver over the orifice, and fill it with gas. As soon as the lamp is taken away, remove the d.t. from the water. The gas contracts, on cooling, and if not removed, water will be drawn over, and the t.t. will be broken. Let the t.t. hang on the r.s. till cool.