228 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



, of the various fruits which can be artificially prepared in our labora- 

 tories from the basic organic radicals, are identical, and the same with 

 those which nature carefully elaborates in the apple, the pear, the pine 

 apple, banana, and the like. The whole subject has been investigated 

 more carefully, and has been applied to more practical purposes than 

 the public is generally aware of. Take for instance the well known 

 perfumes, known as " Lubin's Extracts," extract of geranium, mille- 

 fleurs, new-mown hay, and many others ; all of these are stated to be 

 prepared from two or three of the common and cheap essential oils, 

 and from the organic radicals. In addition to perfumes the most 

 agreeable, odors of the most disgusting and nauseous character can 

 also be produced by like means ; as for instance, the odor of the bed- 

 bug, squash-bug, and of many of the common weeds and plants. As 

 an odor, or perfume of a different character can be produced by the 

 action of each different acid on the different oxides of the organic 

 radicals, the number of bodies of this character capable of being pro- 

 duced is almost innumerable, and may possibly embrace every known 

 odor, or perfume, which is now recognized in the animal, vegetable, 

 or mineral kingdom. 



The various artificial extracts of fruit have been applied to the 

 flavoring of an agreeable species of confectionary known as the 

 " acidulated fruit drops." These have been denounced as poisonous 

 by some persons, on the ground that fusel oil is known to produce 

 deleterious effects ; and as a natural consequence the confectionary 

 referred to has been discarded. There is, however, no foundation for 

 such statements or belief, and if the confectionary flavored with these 

 extracts has in any case produced injurious effects, it is undoubtedly 

 to be referred to an injudicious consumption of it, and not to any 

 inherent deleterious property. Editor. 



POISONOUS CHLOROFORM. 



THE following is a extract from a letter addressed to the Boston 

 Medical and Surgical Journal, by Dr. C. T. Jackson, respecting the 

 poisonous qualities of chloroform, when the so-called fusel oil is con- 

 tained in it. 



Dr. Jackson says : I have had a strong suspicion that the very 

 sudden deaths resulting from the inhalation of chloroform must have 

 been produced by the presence of some poisonous compound of amyle, 

 the hypothetical radical of fusel oil, or the oil of whisky ; and I began 

 a series of researches upon this subject several years ago, but was 

 called off from my work by unexpected persecutions. This work I 

 have resumed, and I will now state what facts and inductions lam 

 nble to lay before the public : 



1. When chloroform, and the alcohol!'- solution of it called chloric 

 Hlier, was made from pure alcohol diluted with water, no fatal acci- 

 dents occurred from its judicious administration. 



2. When chloroform was made, as it now too frequently is, from 



