We need to start using the internet a little more.

I typed "Edison battery oil" into www.google.com and got a bunch of links:

http://www.railserve.com/forums/messages/843.html

Its an archive of the RailServe Train Forum and someone asked the exact
same question and it was quickly answered that EBO is Oil of Vitriol which
was aded to batteries to prevent the sulphuric acid from evaporating.  The
batteries were used in lanterns on the railroads.  It might also have been
used in early radios.  Similar bottles wer marked "Woodbury Battery Co."

try these links too:

http://www.antiquebottles.com/edison/

http://www.oldbottles.co.uk/wwwboard/messages/412.html

and read all about Edison and his batteries at Project Gutenberg:
http://sailor.gutenberg.org/etext97/ehlai10.txt



I used to have a huge glass battery jar, measuring about 8 x 12 x 24 in (20
x 30 x 60 cm) (squareish, not round) which would have been filled with acid
etc.  I figure they were used on farms.  Heaven forbid that thing got
spilled.  I used it as a terrarium which really stank when the captive toad
and salamander proved not to be hybernating.



At 09:54 AM 2/15/00 -0500, you wrote:
>After giving a talk the other night, one of our number was accosted by a
>member of the audience who had a small bottle, that would have been
>stoppered, embossed "Battery Oil". Has anyone any information on such an
>artifact?
>
>John Dendy
>