— 39 — 



be oxidised out in this manner, it was converted into the oxime of 

 the melting point 1 6 1 °, when the hydrocarbons were separated from 

 the fenchone oxime by steam distillation. The yellowish oil then 

 passing over was next further oxidised in the cold with i per cent, 

 permanganate solution, during which operation its optical dextrorotation 

 decreased gradually. Finally, there remained only 2,5 grams oil 

 out of the 76 grams, with an angle of rotation «p of ~\~ 12 10'. 

 These last oil portions were heated on a water bath with a solution 

 of 5,04 grams potassium permanganate in 140 cc. water. But the 

 oxidation yielded neither the p-oxyisopropyl benzoic acid characteristic 

 of p-cymene, nor terephthalic acid. Only a very small quantity of a 

 brown-yellow oil which could not be further identified was obtained in 

 this reaction. Consequently p-cymene was not present in the fennel 

 oil examined. 



Oil of Fool's parsley. F. B. Power and F. Tut in 1 ) have 

 made a chemical examination of the herb of fool's parsley, Aethusa 

 cynapium L., so much feared on account of its highly poisonous 

 character. The herb gathered in July and August was extracted with 

 alcohol in an air-dry condition, and the resulting extract distilled out 

 with water vapour. The essential oil thereby obtained (0,01 5 °/o °f 

 the weight of the fresh herb) was at first colourless, but soon acquired 

 a dark-brown colour, and had an unpleasant odour. In the distilla- 

 tion water formic acid could be detected. The distillation residue 

 (0,8 °/ of the weight of the fresh herb) dissolved partly in petroleum 

 ether. After saponifying the dissolved portion, there could be isolated 

 from it pentatriacontane C 35 H 72 (melting point 74 ) and an alcohol 

 (melting point 140 to 141 ; Wd — 35>7°)> isomeric with phytosterol 

 C 26 H 44 0, or a lower homologue. The saponification liquor contained 

 formic acid and butyric acid. The portion insoluble in petroleum 

 ether, when melted with potash, yielded formic, butyric, and proto- 

 catechuic acids. 



From the water which had remained behind in the retort after 

 the distillation, there were isolated: d-mannite, melting point 165 to 

 1 66°, glucose, an amorphous dye, and a very small quantity of an 

 alkaloid having an odour like conine. This base behaved in its chemical, 

 physical and physiological reactions as coniine, and for this reason 

 the toxic effect of the plant must probably be attributed to the presence 

 of coniine in it. 



Geranium Oils, During the last few years, the production has 

 increased to such an extent in Algeria, that it has only been pos- 

 sible to force the demand by constant reductions in the prices. In 



*) Journ. Soc. Chem. Ind. 24 (1905), 938. 



