N. PALMES. 1327 



Prof. Pariso, of Athens, records the discovery, by accident, 

 of the teenicidal property of the cocoanut, while he was resident 

 in Abyssinia. On returning to Athens he made a number of 

 observations, which, he says, were most satisfactory, the taeniae 

 being always passed and quite dead. (Lancet, Aug. 18, 1889, 

 p. 341). " When properly prepared and intelligently adminis- 

 tered, says a correspondent of the Times of India, the cocoanut 

 is equally efficacious with male fern oil, Kousso, pomegranate 

 root or turpentine, whilst it is as pleasant to the palate as they 

 are offensive." (Ph. J. Nov. 3, 1888, p. 346.) 



Crude cocoanut oil owes its peculiar odour to the presence of a small 

 amount of an essential oil. The principal constituents of this oil are 

 methylheptyl and methylnonyl ketones. A small amount of an alhedyde is 

 also present. The oil therefore resembles oil of rue (Ruta graveleous). 

 •Under the action of hydrogen at 250°-300°C. in the presence of nickel, 

 methylnocyl ketone yields a hydro-carbon, C 9 H 2 0, and a penacoline C 22 H 44 O. 

 The hydrocarbon boils at 150°-155°C, at 760 mm. The pinacoline melts at 

 27°C, and gives an oxime boiling at 233°-137°C, at 15 mm. and a semi-carba- 

 zone, m. pt. 225°-227°C. [A Haller and A. Lassieur. Comptes rend. 1910, 

 abstracted in J. Ch. I., 15th Jane 1910, p. 704.] 



The use of freshly dried kernels ensures the production of an oil contain- 

 ing little acidity. 



Cocoanut oil is a light coloured oil, with a bland taste and a peculiar but 

 not unpleasant odour. In the winter months when the temperature falls to 

 22° to 24° it solidifies to a white fat. The oil may "be easily purified and in 

 this state it forms a favourite edible oil. Cocoanut oil is used in enormous 

 quantities in the manufacture of soaps, made by the boiling process, as also 

 by the cold process ; the crystalline character of the fat renders it suitable 

 for toilet preparations. The oil is employed extensively as a vegetable butter 

 and as a chocolate fat. Cocoanut oil resembles palm oil in its chemical 

 composition ; like the latter it contains large proportions of trimyristin and 

 trilaurin, smaller quantities of the palmitin, tristearin, and triolein, as also 

 the glycerides of the volatile acids caproic, caprylic and capric. It is prac- 

 tically free from hydroxy acids (Lewkowitsch), and free from butyric acid. 



Crossley and Le Sueur (1898) obtained the following constants in oil 

 received from Malabar, Bengal and Bombay : Specific gravity at 100°, 0*903 

 to 0*904 ; acid value, 9*9 to 35-2 ; saponification value, 255*5 to 258*2 ; iodine 

 value, 8-25 to 8'54 ; Reichert Meissl value, 6*65 to 679 ; melting point, 23*5 to 

 25*0 ; insoluble fatty acids, 82*35 per cent. 



Cocoanut oil is rarely adulterated with other fats, and the above tests 

 are usually sufficient for its recognition. (Agric. Ledger, 1911-12— No. 5, pp. 

 167-168). 



