June 2, 1884.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



ESSENTIAL OILS : THEIK DERIVATIONS, AND 



SOME OF THEIE. USES. 



BY "WILLIAM A. WEENN. 



When I last had the pleasure of addressing the Chem- 

 ists' Assistant's Association it was upon the essential oils 

 used in perfumery, and mostly from foreign sources. This 

 time I have taken an allied subject, and, with your indulg- 

 ence, will extend it over two papers, first treatmg those 

 essential oils which can more strictly be called medicinal, 

 and are obtained from plants cultivated in England. These 

 English oils, for the most part, command high prices com- 

 pared with foreign samples. But consideration of the labor, 

 care, and patience of the English drug-farmers, the in- 

 creasing value of land, the time occupied in carefully 

 selecting the various shrubs, herbs or flowers before dis- 

 tillation, and the superior aroma and reliable quality of the 

 oils should tend to increase their reputation and their right 

 to the first rank in pharmacy. In a second paper I will 

 notice those oils which are more or less aromatic— perhaps 



less used in pharmacy, and will refer to some essential 



oils produced in the East Indies. 



Ol. Anethi, obtained from Auethum graveoleiis.— There 

 are two very distinct kinds of dill seeds in commerce, 

 although both are regarded as coming from the same species 

 of Anethiihi. The coasts of the Mediterranean, Crimea, 

 Northern Asia Minor, and India furnish the largest supply. 

 The East Indian seeds are called '■ Sowa seeds,'' — and are 

 nearly always so termed in drug-catalogues. Only a small 

 quantity of dUl seeds are grown in England. At Mai-ket 

 Deeping rather more than ten acres were under cultivation 

 this year, and about the same extent for some few years. 

 The grower there has had the misfortune of utter failure 

 of the crop twice in the last five years. About half the 

 crop is reserved for sale as seed, and half for the distillation 

 of the essential oil. The seeds are also grown in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Beddingtou, in Sui-rey, and at Hitchen. The 

 average yield of oil is 35 per cent ; when freshly distilled 

 it is almost water white, changing gradually to a deep 

 straw color. AVhen allowed to oxidize slowly by long con- 

 tact with the air the original odor is completely lost and 

 the oil can then be scarcely distinguished from that distilled 

 from "carraway chalf." 



The oil is distilled in England from the seeds, when 

 scarcely ripe, about the end of August and in the month of 

 September. The .specific gravity I have found to vary con- 

 siderably — from 842 to t*5S— and this can partly be explained. 

 When the oil has been distilled from the same bulked 

 sample I have noted a difference in the specific gravity. 

 This led me to suppose that by distilling the varied temper- 

 atures a light and a heavy oil could be obtamed. I therefore 

 submitted some of the oil to distillation, and found that 

 the first distillate was G per cent lighter than the after- 

 product, the temperature being raised upon the removal of 

 the first half. This experiment was made with oil obtained 

 from Indian seeds. Some English oil, or oil distilled from 

 English-grown seeds, was similarly treated, and this, too, 

 gave ditterent specific gravities in fiist and after distillates. 

 The lighter oil had by far the superior odor, and I think 

 this will explain the meaning of the term " extra strong," 

 applied to certain brands of foreign essential oils. 



oil of Dill is not used to any very great extent, the 

 distilled water in England and on the Continent and an 

 infusion in India being the usual form of administration. 

 It is practically unheard of in America. 



Ol. Anthemidis, from Anthemis iwbiiis. Only a very small 

 <iuantity of this oil is distilled either here or on the Con- 

 tinent. A very decided change takes place in the color of 

 the freshly distilled oil, which is then of a very pecuhar 

 greenish-blue, and I think unique. This rapidly changes 

 to deep straw color. In England the oil is distilled from the 

 entire plant, and its color is as just described. "The foreign 

 oil is brownish-yellow in color, but whether it is distilled 

 from the flowers or the entile herb lam not in a position 

 to state. The oil is contamed in largest quantity in the 

 ligulate florets. Sq. gr., 079 and -983 in the two .samples 

 before me. The old oil is a little lighter, owing to a deposit 

 which is thrown down in considerable quantity, similar to 

 that deposited from oil of bergamot. The oil is an anti- 

 dote ill cases of poisoning by strychnine, acting as a prevent- 

 ive to tetanus and reflex excitability. Although tonic and 

 stomachic properties are attributed to the infusion and ex- 

 tarct they are almost useless. 



Ol. Cokiandei, from seeds of Conandrum satimim. — The 

 oil is ordered in the Pharmacopt-eia in one preparation only — 

 syi'up of senna — and the powdered seeds with nauseous 

 preparations of senna and rhubarb, chiefly to conceal the 

 flavor, and remedially as a carminative. The fruits yield 

 only 5 per cent of essential oil, but a much larger percent- 

 age of fixed oil is stated to be obtained — about 13 per cent. 

 Corianders are grown in the Eastern counties, and from 

 those the limited quantity of oil required is distilled. From 

 English distillers I have received the answer to my inquiries 

 as to the quantity of oU distilled in 1882 and 1883, none. 

 The foreign oil is chiefly in use, and of a very different 

 aroma. 



Oleum Caeui, from the fruits of Caruin carui. — This is 

 distilled in England chiefly from foreign samples. It would 

 be difticut to say the amount actually distilled from English- 

 grown fruits, but the following facts will give an idea. 

 The grower grows caraway on about S acres, and distills 

 the whole, a second cultivates it on 10 acres, and distils 

 about half his product, while a third, whose distillates of 

 most essential oils are very extensive, grows none himself, 

 but purchases a considerable quantity grown especially for 

 him by his relatives and others in his immediate district. 

 The yield of oil varies from 3 to 7 per cent ; specific graWty, 

 •952 to 96t). Almost colorless, or slightly tinged with yellow. 

 It consists of two bodies — a thin oil, termed " carvol," and 

 a camphor-like body, " carveue," which, according to Han- 

 bui-y, can be obtained when treating the oil with alcoholic 

 sulphide of ammonium. I have obtained some in a similar 

 way, bergaptene, from oil of bergamot, by substituting 

 hydrochloric acid for nitric acid. This substance carve^ie 

 must not be confused with oil distilled from caraway-chaff, 

 called " oil of carven." It is very inferior oil ; in point of 

 fact, the smell of caraways is hardly perceptible, and it i^ 

 used largely for scentmg soaps and hair-oUs. It is imported 

 chiefly from Germany. 



The oils of caraways and corianders do not improve by 

 being kept more than a year ; if this time be exceeded a 

 disagreeable odor is observed, which is finally not much 

 ditferent from oleum pini sylvestris. The dose of the oil is 

 two to five minims. It is added to cathartic pills, and used 

 to allay the griping action of purgatives. 



Olkcm Mexthj; Pipeeit.e is obtained from 3Ientha 

 Pepenta. — I will chiefly confine myself to Eughsh cultivation. 

 The produce of the United States is enormous, and con- 

 siderable quantity is grown in France. The area under 

 cultivation in England in 1883 was: Neighbourhood of 

 Mitcham, about 250 acres; Cambridgeshire about 200 acres ; 

 Market Deeping and neighbourhood about 300 acres ; Hitchin 

 and neighbourhood, a few acres only. The herb is distilled 

 in the months of August and September, when the flower 

 buds are just opening. 



The product varies very much according to the dry or 

 wet state of the herbs ; as a rule, from 2 per cent, and, 

 in exceptional cases, as high as 9 per cent. 



Specific gravities vary from 845 to -915. White needle- 

 shaped crystals, called " peppermint camphor," and almost 

 identical with menthol crystals, now so largely inquired after 

 as a neuralgic remedy, can be obtained by submitting oil 

 of peppermint to 20 = or 25 ° of frost. They are entu'ely 

 soluble in ether, alcohol, and bisulphide of carbon. 



Feppcrniiut is useful for the reUef of nausea and flatul- 

 ence, and is a grateful adjunct to medicines having ob- 

 jectionable tai-tes. Its use in confectionery far exceeds its 

 apphcation in pharmacy. 



Oleum Pulegii Axg is chiefly distilled in the Southern 

 county, and Oleum Menth.e Sativj; Axu. in Cambridge- 

 shire. The former is cultivated more for the dried herb 

 than for distilling. Neither, however, is largely cidtivated 

 in this country, suppUes for the most part coming from 

 France, Germany and America. 



Oi,eum Rut.i;, obtained from the evergreen shrub Euta 

 (/raieoUiif. — It is only cultivated to a very limited extent, 

 Mitchan and its neighbourhood being, perhaps, the only 

 source. The leaves require to be handled with care, or 

 they will cause p.aintul swellings. If bruised and applied 

 to the skin, violent inflammation is produced, and it eaten, 

 excoriation of the mouth and throat. The oil is of a Ught 

 buflt color, becoming a dark browu on keeping ; the specific 

 giavity varies from -850 to 910. The odor is very disagree- 

 able. A weak solution of ammonia is the best means of 

 t moving it from the hands, and at the same time of all-aj 



