12G AURANTIACEJ5. 



Chemical Composition — The essential oil to which the peel of the 

 orange OTves its fragrant odour, is a distinct article of commerce, and 

 will be noticed hereafter under a separate head. The other constituents 

 of the peel probably agree with those of lemon peel. The substance 

 mentioned under the name of Hesperidin (p. 116) particularly abounds 

 in unripe bitter oranges. 



Uses— Bitter orange peel is much used in medicine as an aromatic 

 tonic. 



OLEUM NEROLI, 



Oleum Aurantii fioriim ; Oil or Essence of Neroli ; F. Essence de 



Neroli ; G. N'erolidL 



Botanical Origm—Citrus vulgaris Risso. (See page 124.) 



History—Porta, the Italian philosopher of the ICth century referred 

 to (p. lis), was acquainted with the volatile oil of the flowers of 

 the citron tribe (" Oleum ex citriorum fioribus"), which he obtained 

 by the usual process of distillation, and describes as possessing the 

 most exquisite fragrance. That distilled from orange flowers ac- 

 quired a century later (1675-1685) the name of Essmce of JS'erob 

 from Anne-Marie de la Tremoille-Noirmoutier, second wife of Fla^io 

 Orsmi, duke of Bracciano and prince of Nerola or Neroli. Tim 

 lady employed it for the perfuming of gloves, hence called in Italy 

 Guanh di Neroli} It was known in Paris to Pomet, who says the 

 perfumers have given it the name of Feroli, and that it is made m 

 Kome and in Provence. 



Production— Oil of Neroli is prepared from the fresh flowers of the 

 bigarade or Bitter Orange by the ordinary process of distillation witU 

 Avater, conducted in small copper stills. The flowers of all the alhcci 

 plants are far less aromatic. The water which distills over with tlie 

 oil constitutes, after the removal of the latter from its surface, tne 



i^hcef of 



commerce. The manufacture is carried on chiefly in the south o 

 ^ ranee at Grasse, Cannes, and Nice. The yield is about 06 to 0'7 pe 

 cent, ot oil from fresh flowers, as stated by Poiteau et Bisso. i-^' 

 nowers ot the sweet orange aff^ord but half that amount of oil. ^ 



. Description and Chemical Composition— Oil of Neroli as founu 

 m commerce is seldom pure, for it generally contains an admixture 



have 



Mr. F. G. Warrick of Nice, we n^- 



■^T ^- « .1 U.r in wlUCil 



a 

 a 



Obtained a sample of Bigarade Neroli of guaranteed purity, to v. 

 the following observations relate'. It is of a brownish hue, n^st 

 t agrant odour, bitterish aromatic taste, and is neutral to test-^F^^ 



hr\Z S'\iy ^- '' ^'^^^- When mixed with alcohol, it display 

 nright violet fluorescence, quite distinct from the blue fluorescence oi 



178.-The Wof S. 'I'' ""'■ (^'^1> P«'t«^^ ^t P'^^^"' ^''^- -^"ht originated 

 north of TivolT '' ""^"''^ IQmih^ 1873. 211, these names perhaps on„ 



,4 



H!stoire de. Drogues. 1694. 2.34. ii. i° L^^S^J^oc. 



