¥ 
tained in the oil naturally led to its employment in rheun 
326 ERICACEA, 
“It occurred to me in 1869 that methyl-salicylic acid would, 
however, under suitable treatment, furnish carbolic acid . 
according to a decomposition described by Gerhardt. After a 
few experiments I was successful in preparing considerable 
quantities of pure carbolic acid. The method of manufacture 
is aS follows: —The oil is heated with a dilute solution of 
caustic alkali, by which means it is saponified and dissolved, 
methylic alcohol of great purity being liberated. The solution 
of the oil is then decomposed by any mineral acid, when 
beautiful crystals of salicylic acid are formed. These are 
gathered, squeezed, and dried. They are then mixed with 
common quicklime or sand, and distilled in an iron retort; 
carbolic acid of great purity, and crystallizing with the greatest 
readiness, passes into the receiver. This acid is equal to the 
purest kind obtained from coal tar, and employed in medicine- 
It, of course, possesses all the qualities which have rendered this 
substance almost indispensable in modern medical and surgical 
practice. (Pharm. Journ., Oct. 1871.) 
The shrub has no vernacular name on the Nilgiris, and does 
not appear to be used by the natives except the berries which 
are eaten by the Badagas. The Gandapuro of Java (Ainslie, — 
Mat. Ind. ii. 106) is referred to an Andromeda, and it is inter- 
esting to notice that on the authority of Dr. Horsfield, the — 
volatile oil was used by the natives in rheumatic affections. 
Dr. de Vrij obtained a considerable quantity of oil from the 
leaves of two Javanese species, G. leucocarpa and G. punctata, 
and this was found by Kohler to be identical with Canadian 
Wintergreen oil. 
_ Wintergreen oil is used as a flavouring agent on account of 
its agreeable odour. It is a convenient antiseptic, a drop or 
two of the oil will preserve a bottle-full of gum or of ink from — 
mic injections and other rmaceutical preparations. In 
large doses it produces the same effect as other aromatic 
essential oils. The large proportion of methyl salicylate con- = 
"mould for several months, and it is a useful adjunct to hypoder- 
