490 LI LI AO EM 



Chemical comj)osition. — Besides cellular tissue, garlic contains 

 between 50 and 60 per cent, of water, 35 per cent, of mucilage, 

 some albumen, sugar, starch, and about ^ percent, of volatile 

 oil, to whicli its odour and taste are due. W. Dablen gives the 

 following as the percentage proximate composition : — 



Water 64-66 



Albuminoids 676 



Fat .. 

 Sugar 



•06 



trace 



Nitrogen free extractive 26'31 



Cellulose 



Ash 



•77 

 1-44 



Anhydrous garlic contained nitrogen 3 '06 per cent, and 

 carbohydrates 74-45 per cent. {Landw. Jahrhilcher, 1874.) 



In its crude state oil of garlic is of a dark brown-yellow 

 colour, heavier than water, of a very repulsive taste, and 

 consists of oxide and sulphides of allyl. The rectified oil 



nly 



artificially 



alcoholic solution of potassium sulphide with allyl iodide. It 

 dissolves easily in alcohol and ether, and sparingly in water ; 

 with nitrate of silver, mercuric chloride, and other metallic 

 salts it forms crystalline compounds. Grarlic, macerated in 

 water or vinegar, yields its virtues to these liquids. ( StilU 



Maisch 



AUylic sulphide can also be obtained from the herb and seeds 

 of Thlaspi arvense, together with sulphocyanide of allyl, and oil 

 of mustard. The leaves of Sisymhrium AlUaria yield oil of 



garlic 



A mixture of these two 



oils is also pelded by Gapsella Bursa-pastoris, Raphanus BapJui- 

 nisinim, and Nasturtium. In some cases the oils do not exist 

 ready formed ; for example, the seeds of Thlaspi arvense emit no 

 odour when bruised, and they must be macerated in water some 

 time before distillation. {Watts.) 



Commerce. —d^rlic is cultivated all over India, and is on sale 

 in every grocer's shop. No statistics are available as to the 



