At the present time the choice lies practically only between the two solvents, carbon bisulphide and naphtha (petroleum ether).
The best solvents for rubber are carbon bisulphide, benzol and mineral naphtha, carbon tetrachloride and chloroform.
The Saracens would throw glass bombs containing naphtha, a product of boiling petroleum or coal tar, over the walls of the city.
Then they would let loose a volley of flaming arrows, which would ignite the naphtha, setting the crusaders on fire.
But all these are insignificant in comparison with the mineral oil industry of Baku, which in normal times yields annually between ten and eleven million tons of crude oil (naphtha).