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Novelties. 
Professor Dr. E. Strasburger, of Bonn, while on a visit to the 
Riviera this spring, was kind enough to call our attention to some 
plants growing there which in the fresh state are extremely fragrant. 
At our request Professor O. Penzig, of Genoa, very willingly took 
the trouble of procuring us fairly large quantities of these herbs in a 
half dried condition, and he has thereby enabled us to make some 
trial distillations. We avail ourselves of this opportunity to express 
again to both gentlemen our very sincere thanks for the pains they 
have so kindly taken. 
Although the distillations have given no results which are useful 
for practical purposes, as the aroma was totally destroyed during the 
drying and the distillation, and the distillates in no case showed the 
characteristic odour of the fresh plant, we desire to mention here the 
properties of the oils obtained. 
Oil from Psoralea bituminosa L. (Papilionaceae). This plant 
has a strong asphalt-like odour, especially when it is rubbed. At one 
time the leaves were official as Herba trifolii bitiiminosi, and were 
used as a remedy in all sorts of affections. When distilling 20,5 kilos 
dried herb, we obtained 10 grams = 0,048 per cent, of an oil which 
at ordinary temperature was semi-solid, but which no longer possessed 
in the least degree the bituminous odour of the crude material. It 
was possible to separate from it fatty acids whose melting points lay 
between 38° and 40° (laurinic acid?). The specific gravity of the 
oil was 0,8988 at 25°; acid number = 57,18; ester number = 12,25. 
Oil from Inula viscosa^) Desf. (Compositse). The plant which 
has a sticky feeling to the touch, is found throughout the Riviera, 
and fills the air with its resinous balsamic odour. In popular medicine 
the fresh leaves are used against snake bite, and in Euboea the fresh 
herb is added to wine, probably in order to impart to the latter the 
resinous taste which is much admired there. 20,8 kilos herb yielded 
on distillation 13 grams = 0,062 per cent, of a dark brown, viscid 
oil with a not very pleasant odour, from which at ordinary tempe- 
rature paraffin separated out in abundance. The fatty acids isolated 
from it were liquid. The specific gravity at 25° was 1,006; acid 
number = 164,63; ester number = 15,77. 
Oil from Helichrysum angustifolium Sweet. (Compositse). 
A herb with a pleasant odour, widely distributed in Southern Europe, 
where it covers extensive areas. It grows for example in heaps on 
^) This plant as well as the one mentioned before are illustrated in: O. Penzig, 
Flore coloree de poche du Littoral Mediterraneen. Paris 1902. 
