so Prof. Hare on the Reaction of the Essential Oils 



the sulphurous acid either enters into an intimate combination 

 with the oil, or acquires oxygen sufficient to convert it into 

 sulphuric or hyposulphuric acid. 



Those essential oils which contain oxygen, are most affected 

 by the action of sulphurous acid. 



Both the oils of cloves and cinnamon, after admixture with 

 sulphurous aether and subsequent distillation, gave, on ana- 

 lysis, precipitates of sulphate of barytes. In the case of 

 cloves, the precipitate amounted to one-seventh of the whole 

 weight. 



By distilling camphor with alcohol and sulphuric acid, I 

 obtained a yellow liquid, which, by washing with ammonia 

 and evaporation, in order to get rid of the sulphurous aether, 

 yielded an oil. The oil, by standing, separated into two 

 portions, one solid, the other liquid. The solid portion re- 

 sembled camphor somewhat in smell, but differed from it by 

 melting at a much lower temperature, becoming completely 

 fluid at 175°. 



I found that the essential oils of cinnamon and cloves pos- 

 sessed an antiseptic power, quite equal to that of kreosote, 

 and that their aqueous solutions, when sulphated, were even 

 superior to similar solutions of that agent. 



One part of milk mingled with four parts of a saturated 

 aqueous solution of the sulphated oil of cloves, remained after 

 five days sweet and liquid, while another portion of the same 

 milk became curdled and sour within twenty-four hours. 

 Having on the 2nd day of July added two drops of oil of cin- 

 namon to an ounce measure of fresh milk, it remained liquid 

 on the 1 1th; and, though it finally coagulated, it continued 

 free from bad taste or smell till September, although other 

 portions of the same milk had become putrid. A half ounce 

 of milk, to which a drop of sulphurous oil of turpentine had 

 been added, remained free from coagulation at the end of two 

 days, while another portion, containing five drops of pure oil 

 of turpentine, became curdled and sour on the next day. 



A number of pieces of meat were exposed in small wine 

 glasses, with water impregnated with solutions of the various 

 essential oils. Their antiseptic power seemed to be in the 

 ratio of their acridity. The milder oils seemed to have com- 

 paratively little antiseptic power, unless associated with 

 the sulphurous acid, which has long been known as an anti- 

 septic. 



In cutaneous diseases, and, perhaps, in the case of some 

 ulcers, the employment of the sulphurous sulphated oils may 

 be advantageous. 



A respectable physician was of opinion that the sulphurous 



