CASSIA. 213 
““' The results show that every adulteration diminishes the amount 
of aldehyde. As tothe normal amount of cinnamaldehyde in cassia 
oil, the matter up to the present has not been sufficiently investi- 
gated, but an oil containing less than 70 per cent. may be considered 
as adulterated, and probably an oil with less than 75 per cent. can 
be looked upon with suspicion. 
“Tn earlier years cassia oil was also adulterated, especially with 
fixed oils ; but pure cassia oil prevailed in trade and the adulter- 
ation was carried on in rather more moderate limits. Different 
‘kinds of old oil examined by Messrs. S. & Co. gave the following 
results :— 
No. 14, age'9 years ......... 79 per cent. cinnamaldehyde. 
15) 7) UnKROWM 2.55. TO a ae 
16, 22 Sh 3 000% 73 » oy) 
“No. 14 left a residue from which a fatty oil to the amount of 
10 per cent. was isolated. This oil would have shown, before the 
adulteration, about 90 per cent. of cinnamaldehyde.” 
This important Circular further adds :—“ We are occupied with 
a thorough investigation of pure Cassia oils and have stated that 
the chief constituent of the non-aldehydes is the Acetic ether of 
Cinnamyl. In submitting the non-aldehydes to repeated fractional 
distillation in vacuo, we found the fraction boiling at 135°-145° 
(at 11 mm. atmospheric pressure) to be entirely the above-named 
ether. The cinnamic alcohol, obtained by saponification, crys- 
tallizes in ether, in white solid crystals, boils at 137° (at 11 mm. 
atmospheric pressure), and has a somewhat hyacinth-like odour. 
“ Besides this ether—if a conclusion from its boiling-point and 
the alcohol obtained is allowed—the presence of acetic: ether of 
phenylpropyl is very probable. 
“ Terpenes of the constitution C,)H,, are excluded. The presence 
of sesquiterpenes and polyterpenes is only presumed and requires 
further confirmation. 
“ Free cinnamic acid, formed by oxidation of the cinnamaldehyde 
when in contact with the open air, was found in both the old and 
the fresh distilled oils, but always in very small proportions.” 
A short time after this Circular was issued, the Chinese, finding 
they were detected, gave up the “resin-adulteration,” and the 
samples of Cassia oil offered for sale in Hong Kong were fairly 
p ure so far as the resinous contents were concerned. 
