1818.] M. Vogel on Bitter Almonds. All 



all their oil from them ; the oil obtained in this way does not 

 differ from that of the sweet almond. The cake left after the 

 pressure was distilled with water in a large retort ; the distilled 

 water reddened litmus, and after being saturated by ammonia 

 forms prussian blue with sulphate of iron ; a quantity of a 

 yellowish transparent oil was also obtained, which sunk to the 

 bottom of the vessel. The residue in the retort was found to 

 contain both saccharine matter and gum; and when it was freed 

 from a portion of oil which still adhered to it, and from all 

 soluble matter, it was found to exhibit the properties of animal 

 cheese, being a chemical combination of oil and albumen. When 

 an almond enmlsion is made with cold water, a fluid is procured 

 which is almost precisely similar to animal milk ; it coagulates 

 by acids, by alcohol, by the electric spark, and by heat ; a cream 

 separates from it, which may be converted into a species of butter ; 

 and the emulsion, after the separation of its coagulum, resem- 

 bles the whey of milk. M. Vogel found that the emulsions of a 

 variety of seeds, and also of different kinds of nuts, was of the 

 same nature with that of the almond, and almost exactly resem- 

 bled animal milk. 



The essential oil obtained by distillation possesses some 

 remarkable properties. When the water is taken from it as much 

 as possible it loses its fluidity, assumes a waxy consistence, and 

 finally crystallizes in the form of plates and needles. When 

 the oil is kept in a fluid state under water, after some days it 

 becomes opaque and solid, and after an interval of some weeks 

 it entirely disappears. The oil burns with a very brilliant flame ; 

 it is partially dissolved by potash, and also in some degree by 

 ammonia. When it is exposed to the air in small quantities, it 

 is very shortly converted into a crystalline, semi-transparent 

 mass ; these crystals are soluble in alcohol and in ether. By 

 this change it nearly loses its inflammability ; it melts when 

 sufficiently heated, and again resumes the crystalline form ; its 

 sensible properties are likewise much affected. When the oil 

 passes to the crystallized state, it absorbs oxygen. Dr. Soem- 

 mering, son of the Professor of the same name, gave portions 

 of the essential oil, as well as of the distilled water of bitter 

 almonds, to dogs, and it proved fatal in all cases. Where the 

 dose was large, the animals fell down dead instantly, as if they 

 had been struck with lightning ; the others perished in a few 

 minutes. The doses are not stated which were employed by 

 Dr. Soemmering. Notwithstanding this poisonous property of 

 both the oil and the distilled water of bitter almonds, we are 

 informed that Dr. Horn, of Berlin, administered to fever patients 

 in " La Charite " six drams of bitter almonds daily, in the form of 

 an emulsion. In this case it is conjectured that the oil and 

 prussic acid were so modified by the other ingredients as to 

 Bave had their deleterious quality much diminished or entirely 

 counteracted. 



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