4. ODOROGRAPHIA. 
The spirituous extract of musk and the infusion should not be 
reddish brown, but deep blackish brown. 
The Siberian or Russian musk (sometimes called Carbadine), 
and that coming from the Altai Mountains, is rarely adulterated 
to any extent, but its odour is much less powerful, being more 
nauseous and somewhat empyreumatic. The Assam musk occurs 
in very large pods, and is very strong, but considerably lower in 
value than the Tonquin or Chinese musk on the London Market, 
a result of the heavy adulteration to which it is subjected. 
The value of musk is subject to considerable fluctuation. At 
the beginning of 1883 Chinese pod-musk of poor quality realized 
105s. per oz. at public sale in London. The position of this 
market in 1891 may be gathered by the following extracts from 
Trade Reports :— 
“April 24, 1891.—Moscuus. Messrs. Gehe observe that con- 
fidence in Tonquin musk has gradually lessened, as the increased 
shipments of the last few months from Shanghai show. It is note- 
worthy that Paris, after a long pause, has again appeared in the 
réle of a large buyer. During 1890 the total shipments from 
Shanghai were 1072 catties below those of 1889, when the figure 
was 2266 catties. The firm do not think, however, that artificial 
musk had the least to do with bringing this about. In fact, the 
purchase of musk in China by Paris is taken as a proof that the 
artificial product is not suitable for use in perfumery. It is 
further stated that it does not answer even in the manufacture 
of soaps, as the odour is very unstable, and very soon entirely 
disappears.” 
“ April 23, 1892.—The price quoted at this date by wholesale 
London houses is 135s. to 145s. per oz. for Chinese grain- 
musk.’” 
The analysis of musk does not disclose any clue to the nature of 
its odoriferous principle. The various musky-scented substances 
derived from the Animal Kingdom are strongly suggestive of a 
condition of peculiar putrefaction or decay. There are instances 
in the Vegetable Kingdom of odorous principles being generated 
by similar causes—for instance, Oriental Lign-Aloes (or “ Hagle- 
wood”), Aquilaria Agallocha, 'The wood of this tree isimpregnated 
with a resinous matter often found collected in clots here and 
there throughout the stem; a fact which is in all probability due 
to a diseased condition of the tree, a condition which is in fact 
