304 SPICES 



CHAP. 



inflamed parts, or for boils or pimples, and mixed with 

 ghee for urticaria. 



In European medicines the use of pepper has almost 

 completely been abandoned, except as a stimulant or 

 flavouring for other medicines. 



Pepper Oil, the distillate of pepper, appears to have 

 been prepared in the Middle Ages. It is first mentioned 

 in 1574. The method of obtaining it was first described 

 by Winther in 1750. 



Perfumery. Piper onal or Artificial Heliotrope, 

 is obtained from Piperine by distillation. It possesses 

 a scent resembling that of Heliotrope, and is therefore 

 used in perfumery. 



Ground white pepper, preferably that of Singapore, 

 which contains 9*15 per cent of the alkaloid, is mixed 

 with twice its volume of slaked lime and sufficient water, 

 and evaporated on a water bath. The powder is then 

 exhausted with commercial ether, when the piperine can 

 be obtained nearly pure in straw-yellow crystals. From 

 this, by the use of caustic potash, Potassium piper ate is 

 formed and treated with permanganate of potash, when 

 the piperonal crystallises out. 



Heliotropine is destroyed by sunlight and injured by 

 heat. It requires to be kept in yellow glass bottles and 

 preserved in a cool dark cellar till required for use. 



OTHER PEPPERS 



African pepper, Piper clusii, DC., also known as 

 Ashantee pepper, or West African pepper. 



This is a wild pepper widely distributed in tropical 

 Africa, most abundant in the Mam-main country. It 

 differs in appearance from black pepper, being one of the 

 Cubeba section, characterised by the fruit being borne 

 on a short stalk, whence the old Portuguese name of 

 Pimienta da rabo, i.e. tailed pepper. The plant is 

 very handsome with its splendid red branches of fruit. 

 The dried fruit is ashy grey, and possesses the taste 

 and odour of pepper containing piperine. 



