MYRISTTGE^. 195 



Microscojyic structure. — The brown covering of the nntmeg is 

 formed by the endopleura, which also dips in and form^ numer- 

 ous processes which divide the albumen in every direction; it 

 is composed of soft- walled brown cells, which on the external 

 surface are small and flat, but much larger in the processes 

 already mentioned. The cell- structure of the albumen is load- 

 ed with starch and fatty matter,, some of which is crystalline. 



Herr A. Tschirch states that the- aril of Myrhfica fragrans 

 furnishes a good illustration of the presence of amylodextrin as 



m 



It is distinguish- 



ed from true starch by being stained reddish-brown instead of 

 blue by an aqueous solution of iodine. The grains of amylo- 

 dextrin are from 2 to 10 /x in diameter, and do not appear to 

 contain even a nucleus of starch. They have usually some- 

 what the form of a rod, and are often curved or coiled ; less 

 often they are roundish or disc - shaped ; they da not usually 

 exhibit any evident stratification. 



Ghemic%l composition, — !N"utniegs contain from- 2' to 8 per- 

 cent, of volatile oil, 25 to 30' per cent, of fat, starch, protein 

 compounds, &c. The most volatile portion of the oil, after treat- 

 ment with sodium, was found, by Cloez, to be a laevogyre hy- 

 drocarbon, C^^H^^, having the odour of the nut, and boiling at 

 265^ C. It is the mijristicene of Gladstone,, who named the oxy- 

 genated portion myristicol^ O^^H^^O ; this is dextrogyre, boils at 

 224° 0;, and does not, like menthol and carv^ol, yield a crystalline 

 compound with H-'S. The nuimeg camphor of John, or mijristicin 

 of Q-melin, which separates sometimes on standing, was ascer- 

 tained by Fliickiger to be myristic acid. From the expressed 

 oil of nutnieg^ or nutmeg butter, cold alcohol dissolves about 



6 per cent, of volatile^ oil and 24 per cent, of fat, accompanied 

 by brown-yellow resinous matter, which has not been further 

 examined. The remaining pulverulent white fat is myrMiw^ 

 C'H*{C^^H^'0')', which crystallizes from hot alcohol or ether 

 and fuses at 31^0. Heintz found the melting-point of 

 myrhtk acid to be 53*8'^ C. Schmidt and Hoemer found 3 to 4 

 per cent, of free myristic acid, with a little stearic acid. 



