— 75 — 



Menthol. Colourless needle-shaped or prismatic crystals; melting 

 point 43 ; boiling point 21 2°; alcoholic solution neutral and laevo- 

 rotatory. 



Mustard Oil [Oleum sinapis volatile). Colourless or faintly yellow; 

 d25o 1,013 to 1,02c 1 ); boiling point 148 to 152 ; lowest content of 

 allyl isothiocyanate 92°/o 2 )i soluble in every proportion in alcohol. 



*) The lower limit is given too high, and should be 1,008 (comp. table). 



2 ) "With regard to the determination, comp. the present Report p. 45. 



Nutmeg Oil [Oleum myristiccz). Colourless or faintly yellow; 

 ^25° 0,862 to 0,91c) 1 ); «D25° "f" *4 to ~\~ 2< &° ^)\ soluble in an equal 

 vol. alcohol, and in 3 vol. 90 per cent, alcohol. When 2 to 3 cc. 

 oil are evaporated, no crystallising residue should remain behind. 



*) The upper limit is given too low and must be increased to 0,924, as other- 

 wise just the oil from the best material is excluded from medicinal use. Comp. 

 Report October 1904, 65 ; see also table. 



*) "We have observed in our own distillates from nutmeg of best quality, 

 rotations down to -|~7°52'. Comp. Report October 1904, 65. 



Peppermint Oil 1 ) {Oleum menthcz piperita). Colourless 2 ); 

 d 2 5° 0,894 to 0,914; «r>25° — 25 to — 33 ; ester (menthyl acetate) 

 at least 8% 3 ); total menthol (free and esterified) at least 5O°/ ; 

 soluble in an equal vol. alcohol; the solution in 4 volumes 70 per cent, 

 alcohol may at most show a feeble opalescence. 



1 ) The requirements given for peppermint oil are partly contradictory, so that 

 it is not clear whether the oil from the State of New York ("Wayne County Oil") 

 or that from Michigan ("Western Oil") is to be the official oil. Whereas the 

 rotation applies chiefly to the first-named oil (Michigan oil rotates between — 18 

 and — 29 ), the requirements of solubility exclude the former as the New York 

 oil is not soluble in 70 per cent, alcohol. It is difficult to understand why both 

 oils are not admitted. 



2 ) Peppermint oil is not always colourless, but sometimes yellowish or greenish 

 yellow. 



3 ) The ester-content is frequently lower; we have observed in authentic oils 

 down to 4 °/o* 



Pimenta Oil {Oleum pimentce). Colourless, yellow, or reddish; 

 eugenol-content at least 65 per cent, by volume; d2so 1,033 to 1,048 *); 

 soluble in every proportion in 90 per cent, alcohol and also in 2 vol. 

 70 per cent, alcohol. 



a ) The lower limit of value is given too high, and should be 1,018. Comp. 

 table; see also German Report April 1899, 39. 



Rose Oil [Oleum rosa). Faintly yellow; d 2 5° 0,855 to 0,865*); 

 saponification number 10 to 17 2 ); solidifying point between 18 

 and 22 2 ). 



*) The upper limit is given too low, and should be 0,867 (comp. table). 



2 ) We have observed in pure oils saponification numbers betwen 8,5 and 19. 



3 ) As upper limit for the solidifying point 23.5 might be recommended. 



