378 
OLE A YOLATILIA. 
Francis, John M., thinks the descriptions, assays, and specifications 
for oils, especially the “ volatile oils,” are a tremendous improvement 
upon those of preceding revisions of our pharmacopoeia, and also upon 
those of any pharmacopoeia. — Bull. Pliarm., Detroit, 1906, v. 20, p. 99. 
Schimmel & Co. have examined the differences existing between the : 
specific gravities of essential oils at 15° and at 25° C., and report that 
they have found these differences to be quite considerable. They 
present their results in tabulated form and call particular attention 
to the results, which do not agree with the limits of value given in 
the U. S. P. VIII. — Semi-Ann. Rep., 1906, Apr .-May, p. TO. 
They point out that with a few exceptions the requirements of the 
Ph. Austr. VIII, for essential oils, may be characterized as being 
“ up to date.” They present a detailed review of the several require- 
ments. — Ibid ., Apr.-May, pp. 77-81. 
They also discuss at some length the several requirements for vola- 
tile oils included in the Ph. Hisp. VII. — Ibid., Apr.-May, pp. 81-86. 
They review the specifications of the Ph. Adi. IV for essential oils 
and assert that the particulars given are on the whole correct, and that 
of errors of any importance there are but few. — Ibid., Oct.-Xov., p. 81. 
Weigel, G., points out that in some instances where the optical rota- 
tion is indicative of the purity or the identity of an essential oil it 
has been included in the Ph. Adi. IV. — Pharm Zentralh., 1906, v. 17, 
p. 375. 
He points out that the requirements made by the Ph. Hisp. VII 
for essential oils are usually meager and inadequate, and, in some 
instances, even false and therefore misleading.— Ibid., v. 17, p. 577. 
He also points out the requirements of the Ph. Austr. VIII for 
volatile oils. — Ibid., v. 17, p. 686. 
Wiebelitz, H., suggests that a special article on volatile oils giv- 
ing a general description of the' general properties and the tests for 
this class of substances would be an advantage. — Pharm. Ztg., Berl., 
1906, v. 51, p. 1001. 
Beckstroem, R., suggests that the Ph. Germ, delete oleum anisi, 
carvi, and caryophylloriun, as these are already replaced by aneth- 
olum, carvonum, and eugenolum, and the oils are not identical with 
the several substances that are official. Where the optical activity of 
an oil is characteristic, or where it would be of advantage for analyt- 
ical purposes, he believes it should be added to the official descrip- 
tion. — Ber. d. pharm. Gesellsch., Berl., 1906, v. 16, pp. 326, 327. 
La Wall, Charles H., expresses the opinion that some of the tests 
as, for example, those for esters under essential oils, are too compli- 
cated for practical purposes. — Am. J. Pharm., Phila., 1906, v. 78, p. 99. 
