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The alcohols mentioned in the Italian Pharmacopoeia are, besides 
absolute alcohol, a strong alcohol of 90 by volume, and a weaker 
one of 60 ^/q by volume. 
Anise Oil (Essenza di anice). Colourless or yellowish; d-,^50 = o,98 
to 0,99!); congealing point -]- 14°^); soluble in every proportion in 
alcohol ^) ; the solution of a few drops oil in alcohol must give a yellow 
and not a violet colouration with ferric chloride (test for phenol). 
^) As occasionally a separation of anethol already occurs spontaneously at 15°, 
it is advisable to carry out the determination of the specific gravity of anise oil 
at 20°; in this case the limits of value are also those given above. 
^) With good anise oils the congealing point lies betvi^een -t-i7° and -(-19°; 
it is cooled below solidifying point to about 13°, and solidification is then brought 
about by inoculation with a crystal of anethol. 
^) This is not correct; anise oil only dissolves in i to 3 volumes 90 ^/^ alcohol. 
Cajeput Oil (Essenza di cajeput). Colourless, occasionally greenish 
owing to traces of copper; dj50 =0,915 to 0,930; soluble in alcohol 
in every proportion; if i cc oil is shaken with 10 cc dilute hydrochloric 
acid, the aqueous solution separated from the oil must give no brown-red 
colouration with potassium ferrocyanide (test for copper). 
Chamomile Oil (Essenza di camomilla comune). Blue^); on 
exposure to air it becomes brown, also when in contact with alcoholic 
soda solution; d^^o =0,93 to 0,945 2); soluble in 8 parts alcohol; when 
cooled to 0°, it should become viscous, but without congealing^). 
^) The dark-blue colour of the oil changes under the influence of air and light 
gradually into green to brown. 
^) More correct is: d^^o 0,925 to 0,940. 
^) In consequence of its high paraffin-content, the oil only forms cloudy mixtures 
with 90 alcohol, and at 0° congeals into a fairly solid mass. 
Cinnamon Oil ^) (Essenza di cannella). Colourless or bright-yellow, 
in course of time yellow to brown 2); d^^o = 1,055 1,065^); faint 
acid reaction; soluble in alcohol in every proportion; 4 drops cooled 
down to 0°, should form a crystalline mass^) when shaken with 4 drops 
fuming nitric acid; the solution of 4 drops cinnamon oil in 10 cc alcohol 
should acquire a red-brown colouration when i drop ferric chloride is 
added, and not green or blue (test for clove oil). 
^) Whilst the former Pharmacopoeia required Ceylon cinnamon oil, the altered 
specific gravity shows that cassia oil is now official; this appears to us of little 
advantage, as Ceylon cinnamon oil has an incomparably finer aroma than cassia oil. 
The statements as to colour require correction; cassia oil is from the first 
dark-yellow or brown; neither of the two cinnamon oils is colourless. 
^) More correct would be 1,055 1,070. 
^) This test gives no indication of the purity of the oil. Comp. Gildemeister 
and Hoffmann, "The Volatile Oils", p. 384. 
Citron Oil ^) (Essenza di cedro). Greenish-yellow; the oil obtained 
by distillation is colourless 2) ; d^50 = 0,857 0,860; very slightly 
