. | SCIENTIFIC NOTES ON ESSENTIAL OILS. 49 
- Vetiver Oil. In our Report October 1912 (p. 112) we mentioned a vetiver oil, 
described by the Imperial Institute in London, which had been distilled in the Fiji 
islands. On a further oil of the same origin the April/June Bulletin of the above-named 
Institute’) gives the following particulars. The oil was of great viscosity and of the 
characteristic vetiver odour. It had a yellowish-brown colour which turned into dark 
green after a little while under the influence of air and light. diso 1,018; sap. v. 47; 
soluble in 1*/3 volume of 80p.c. alcohol; from 3 volumes upward turbidity sets in. 
As is correctly remarked, it is difficult to give an opinion on the commercial value 
of such an oil, because i.a. the value depends to some extent on the law of supply 
and demand. The price suggested by divers experts varied between 16/- and 30/— per lb. 
In an oil sent us some time back by the Imperial Institute, and which was very 
likely identical with the above-mentioned sample, we ascertained the following values: 
Gizo 1,0164; myno 1,52058; acid v. 31,1; ester v. 17,3; ester v. after acetylation 143,7; 
soluble in 1 volume of 80 p.c. alcohol, from 2 volumes upwards turbidity set in. 
At the same time we may mention a vetiver oil from Indian root, which had been 
submitted to us by the Imperial Institute some considerable time ago. In its constants 
it resembles partly the oil distilled in Germany, partly the one produced in Réunion, 
but differs from both in its rotation which is surprisingly low for a vetiver oil. This 
is probably due to its unscientific manufacture. This latter point might also explain 
the extraordinarily small yield (0,26 p.c.), for in an experimental distillation of the raw 
material sent us at the same time we found double the yield (0,5 to 0,6 p.c.), which, 
however, is still too small, seeing that normal vetiver root yields from 1 to 3p.c. of 
oil. The quantity of oil obtained by us was too small to permit of any constants 
being determined, we have therefore to confine ourselves to giving the figures for the 
sample sent us by the Imperial Institute: dis. 1,0052; op) + 15°25’; npao 1,51880; 
acid v. 29,6; ester v. 12,5; ester v. after acetylation 141,2; soluble in 1,5 volume and 
more of 80 p.c. alcohol. 
Some Seychelles distillates”), of which we received ene were of similar nature 
their figures moving within the following limits: dis. 0,9863 to 0,9977; a) + 10°50’ to 
+ 19°25’; npw»o 1,52253 (single test); acid v. 8,2 to 16,3; ester v. 10,7 to 17,2; ester v. 
aiter acetylation 103,3 to 130,5. Two of the samples dissolved only in 90 p.c. alcohol 
{about 0,5 volume and more), whereas three others gave a clear solution in 1,5 volume 
of 80 p.c. alcohol, but from 3 volumes upwards turbidity set in, and on further dilution 
there was pronounced opalescence. The odour of these oils was similar to the 
Réunion distillates. 
From roots obtained from the Philippine Islands Roure-Bertrand Fils*) distilled 
0,92 p.c. of an oil of the following properties: dis. 1,0139; ap) + 30°8’'; acid v. 21,5; 
ester v. 6,5; ester v. after acetylation 165,2; soluble in 0,75 volume and more of 
80 p.c. alcohol. The oil had a lasting and fine odour. 
Wormwood Oil. We gather from the report of Roure-Bertrand Fils (April 1914, 87) 
that Auguet (Annal. des Falsificat. 6, 385) has been engaged in the determination of 
the essential oils in absinth and similar liqueurs, and has also examined alcoholic 
essences according to the method prescribed in France, which is a modification of 
the directions as laid down by Sanglé-Ferriére and Cuniasse*). It is based on the 
determination of the iodine absorption by alcoholic solutions of volatile oils, using 
4) Bull. Imp. Inst. 12 (1914), 225. — %) Re Seychelles vetiver oils compare also Report October 1912, 
113. — *) Berichte von Roure-Bertrand Fils April 1914, 11. — 4) Annal. Chim. anal. appl. 8 (1903), 17. 
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