IV 



CLOVES 195 



In medicine clove oil is now but little used, except 

 as a flavouring, and in making pills. Cloves are 

 aromatic, carminative, and stimulant, and are used in 

 cases of dyspepsia, gastric irritation, and in cases of 

 vomiting in pregnancy. The oil is used in decayed 

 teeth, and for toothache generally. 



In microscopy it is commonly used for clearing 

 sections. 



For these purposes the mixed oil is generally used, 

 but it is also largely used in the form of eugenol, the 

 lighter oil being removed. The amount of eugenol in 

 crude oil of cloves varies from 76 to 85 per cent, and 

 especially fine samples contain as much as 90*64 per 

 cent. 



By the addition of permanganate of potash eugenol 

 can be converted into vanillin, and several patents 

 have been taken out for the processes of this nature. 

 Vanillin is the artificial vanilla used now largely as 

 a substitute for the more expensive natural vanilla 

 (see Vanilla). 



OTHER PARTS OF THE TREE USED 



The flower stalks, separated from the cloves when 

 drying, are in some places not wasted. ' They are dried 

 and exported, chiefly from Zanzibar and Pemba to 

 Bombay and New York, and from the former port are 

 exported to England for adulterating powdered cloves, 

 and for making clove oil. They are moderately 

 aromatic, and yield 5 to 6 per cent of oil of cloves on 

 being distilled, as against 15 to 19 per cent from 

 ordinary clove buds. The stalks are known in Zanzibar 

 as Vikunia ; in French as Griffes de Girofle and 

 Pedoncules de Girofle; in Italian as Fusti and Sastaroni; 

 in German as Nelkenstiel. They always fetch a low 

 price, only a few pence a pound. In 1873, 4,200 

 packages of clove-stalks were sold in London at 3d. to 

 4d. per Ib. 



Oil from stalks was distilled as early as the sixteenth 



