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Oil of Parsley (O/. Petroselini). Colourless or greenish-yellow, 
fairly viscid; dj^s© = 1,050 to 1,100; soluble in Spiritus fortior in every 
proportion ; sulphuric acid is coloured blood-red ^) by one drop oil of parsley. 
1) Such colour- reactions are of quite subordinate importance in judging an 
essential oil, and are moreover frequently misleading. 
Oil of Pimenta {01, Pimentae). Colourless or pale-yellow, sub- 
sequently brown; d^go = 1,045 1,055^); soluble in Spiritus fortior 
in every proportion; when shaken with the same volume caustic soda 
lye, an almost solid mass should be formed; the solution in an equal 
volume Spiritus fortior should only have a very feeble acid reaction; 
test for carbolic acid. 
^) As normal pimenta oils often have a lower specific gravity, the lowest limit 
should be taken as 1,020. 
Oil of Pine needles from Pmus silveshis {^01. Pini silvestris ; 
01. foliofiim pini). Colourless or yellowish; d^50 = 0,870 to 0,880; 
soluble in about 7 parts Spiritus fortior. 
As the oil distilled from the needles of Pinus silvestris has a less pleasant 
odour and cannot be obtained in commerce, and as moreover the name 01. Pini 
silvestris is an old but incorrect designation of oil from cones of Abies alba, it 
would be more correct to require 01. Temphni, whose specific gravity lies between 
0,853 and 0,870. 
Oil of Rue {01. Rutae). Colourless or yellow; d^go = 0,830 to 
0,840; neutral reaction; congeals in the cold; soluble in two to three 
parts Spiritus dilutus; when heated with potassium bichromate and 
sulphuric acid with the addition of a small quantity of alcohol, the 
odour of geranium oil occurs^). 
^) The decomposition of the methyl nonyl ketone into acetic acid and pelargonic 
acid, caused by the oxidation, does not by any means occur as rapidly and easily 
as would appear to be the case from the above directions. For this reason such 
a test of the oil is valueless, as in most cases it will not have the desired result. 
Oil of Sandalwood, East Indian {01. Santali indicum). Yellow 
or light yellow; d-,^50 = 0,975 to 0,990^); neutral or faint acid reaction; 
soluble at 20P in five vol. Spiritus dilutus; santalol-content at least 
90 per cent. 2). 
^) The higher limit might be reduced to 0,985. 
^) The santalol-content is calculated on the formula C^gHggO; recalculated on 
the correct formula Cj.Hg^O, the minimum content is 89,26 per cent. 
For the saponification of santalyl acetate it is better to use alcoholic potash. 
Oil of Spearmint ( 01, Menthae crispae). Colourless or light yel- 
low^); d^50 = 0,920 to 0,940; neutral reaction; soluble in Spiritus 
fortior, at first clear, but cloudy when more of the solvent is added. 
^) Spearmint oil has also very often a greenish-yellow colour. 
Oil of Spike {OL Spicae). Yellowish; dj^go about 0,910; soluble 
in two to three and more parts Spiritus dilutus. 
