144 THE CHKMISTRY OP DORYPHORA SASSAFRAS, 



was transferred to a large flask, and distilled in a current of 

 steam for many hours. A heavy yellow oil was carried over with 

 the steam, and condensed. The oil was removed by a separating 

 funnel, and the aqueous distillate was shaken up with petroleum 

 spirit, which removed a further amount of oil existing as minute 

 suspended globules. From the latter the solvent was removed, 

 and the yellow oil added to the main portion. The residue in the 

 retort consisted of resins, made insoluble by the loss of the 

 essential oil in which they were originally dissolved, and the 

 alkaloid partly in solution. 



A. Thk Volatile Oil. 



Tlie yield of oil from the steam distillation was 75'3 gms., 

 equivalent to 0-42% of the bark. Since the figure given in the 

 preliminary analysis, I'll 7%, was obtained by difference, the 

 following special assay was made to determine more exactly the 

 amount present. 



Special Assay. — 'iOO gms. of the powdered bark were placed 

 with water in a large distillation flask, and distilled in a current 

 of steam until no more oil collected, using very eflicient con- 

 densers with ice. The oil was separated, and that remaining 

 suspended in the distillate was recovered by petroleum spirit; the 

 whole weighed 2-06 gms. Equivalent to 1-03% of the bark, or 

 1-15% of the material dried at 100". 



A second supply of the bark freshly removed from the tree 

 yielded 1"35% of volatile oil (calculated for the dried material). 



Properties of the Essential Oil. — The oil was pale yellow in 

 colour, and possessed the essential odour of the bark. It was 

 neutral to litmus, phenolphthalein, and m. orange; heavier than 

 water, having a density of 1033 at 15/15°C. The optical I'ota- 

 tion in a 1 dm. tube at iu'^,[a]^= + 7'4°, and the refractive index 

 at 15'',[n]u= 1-5258. 



Hydrochloric acid gas produced a bright purple colour, but no 

 crystals formed showing the probable absence of cineol. 



Bromine vapour gave first a red colour, which passed into blue, 

 purple, and green; no crystals were formed. 



