CARBOLINEUM, derived from the Latin word carbo, coal, oleum, oil, to form a trade name for a new commodity, is a distillation from coal-tar or bituminous shale, con taining phenoloid hydrocarbons of a highly pre servative nature. Extensive deposits from which carbolinuem is obtained are found in the grape-growing countries bordering on the Rhine, various other parts of Europe and some places in America. The liquid in its commer cial form is of a nut-brown color, but it is a stain rather than a paint. However, it can be washed off a person's hands with cold water without leaving any stain. Tests made with it prove that it has many times greater penetrating power than linseed-oil. It never crystallizes. When it has been painted upon wood and has become apparently thoroughly dry, its action does not cease. If the wood is then painted with a heavy coat of white-lead mixed with linseed-oil, the carbolineum will make its appearance through the paint in a short time. Consequently, any wood that is first treated with carbolineum cannot be painted without previous sizing. Owing to carbolineum being composed of heavy hydrocarbons, it is only slightly inflammable; but when ignited by holding a match in contact with the carbo lineum for a short time, it burns with a bright red light, giving off considerable carbon in the form of a dense smoke. Large quantities of carbolineumare made by subjecting crude anthracene (green oils) to heavy pressure, and adding zinc chloride and chlorine. There are also on the market imitations of carbolineum, made from the heavy oils of petroleum. These are deficient in the specific preservative qual ities which have given the original carbolineum its reputation. As made from coal-tar, carbo lineum is a substance with distinctive physical and chemical qualities. It distils between the temperatures of 570° and 735° F., follow ing the creosote oils. Unlike the latter it has no destructive effect upon wood fibre, nor does it have to be applied under heat and pressbre (125 pounds) as with creosote oils, cooking the wood and deadening its fibre. Once the outer layer of the wood is dry the carbo lineum enters, leaving the pores open so that interior moisture escapes as the preservative makes its way in. The creosote oils close the
pores and confine the interior moisture.
Carbolineum first came into use about the year 1876. The grape-growers of the Rhine valley were much annoyed with insects and sus tained considerable loss by the rotting of the posts and poles used in their vineyards. It is said that Richard Avenarius, who was an officer in the German army, first suggested the use of carbolineum as a wood preservative.
Carbolineum is usually shipped in barrels and then put in small packages to accommodate the retail trade. It is retailed at about 75 cents per gallon. The most extensive users are the tanners, railroad companies, maltsters and farmers. Railroad ties and posts are dipped in it in an open tank before setting.
Some of the railroad companies after due experiment have made extensive use of it, even ((painting>) parts of the woodwork of their freight cars with it. It is used in a modified form by dyers. Farmers use it for painting hog-pens, chicken-coops and barns for the pur pose of destroying lice and other vermin. The carbolineum may be applied directly to the skin of animals, without injury.
Considerable litigation has grown out of the promiscuous use of the word by manufacturers. Richard Avenarius did not obtain a trade-mark on the word when he first used it, and never obtained a patent on carbolineum, and many others began its manufacture under that com mercial name. Eventually he filed the word 'carbolineuml) as a trade-mark in Austria. but subsequently his trade-mark was revoked and protection refused on the ground of the general use of the word. Also, he registered the word ucarbolineum)) as a trade-mark in the Patent Office of the United States, as No. 14,048, dated 8 Feb. 1887. His right to such use was questioned and considerable litigation en sued. The matter had not been settled definitely when, in 1917, American manufacturers were permitted to use German patents and trade marks under license.