26 ODOROGEAPHIA. 



which, in the form of Trimyristicate of Glycerin, is the chief con- 

 stituent of the fatty part of nutmegs. The formula of the acid 

 C\^ Hog 0„ requires : — 



14 C 168 ... 73-68 



28 H 28 ... 12-28 



2 32 ... 14-04 



228 100-00 



" The melting point of myristic acid is stated by Heintz to be 

 53*^-8 ; my crystals melted not before 54^ or 54^-5. Whether this 

 difference is due to the perfect, I may say, unrivalled, purity of my 

 acid, or to a different way of observation, may remain undecided. 



" It is not astonishing to meet with myristic acid in the product 

 of a prolonged distillation of nutmegs, for fatty acids generally are 

 capable of being volatilized, especially by means of superheated 

 steam, when the vegetable fats are resolved into glycerin and fatty 

 acids. It is possible that free myristic acid is present in the nut- 

 meg itself, and this would still more easily be carried over by the 

 watery vapour. I have warmed a little powdered nutmeg with 

 alcohol and anhydrous carbonate of sodium and thus got a small 

 amount of indubitable soap, from which I isolated myristic acid. 

 This experiment shows that nutmegs contain a little free myristic 

 acid." 



Expressed oil of Nutmegs, " Xutmeg butter," " Concrete 

 oil of nutmegs" or " Balsam of nutmegs." Crushed fresh nutmegs, 

 or imperfect, broken nutmegs, crushed while fresh into a paste, are 

 enclosed in bags and submitted to hydraulic pressure between 

 heated iron plates. The yield is from 20 to 25 per cent. It is at 

 first liquid, but congeals on cooling into an unctuous orange-brown 

 body of marbled or mottled appearance. It is imported into 

 London principally from Singapore, in oblong cakes of the shape 

 of bricks, but somewhat smaller in size, enveloped in palm leaves 

 or "flag-leaves." It was formerly brought into European 

 commerce vid Holland. At present, much of this " expressed 

 oil" is manufactured in Europe, and put up in the same shaped 

 blocks as that prepared in the East, but it is packed in paper. 

 When discoloured and hardened by age, it is called " Banda Soap." 

 Its odour is very agreeable and its taste greasy and aromatic. It 

 melts at 45^C. and dissolves completely in two volumes of warm 

 ether and in four volumes of warm alcohol of 0-800. It contains 



