N. 0 PALMED. 
1327 
Prof. Pariso, of Athens, records the discovery, by accident, 
of the tasnicidal property of the cocoanut, ’while he was resident 
in Abyssinia. On returning to Athens he made a number of 
observations, which, he says, were most satisfactory, the taeniae 
being always passed and quite dead. (Lancet, Aug. 18, 1889, 
p. 341). “ When properly prepared and intelligently adminis- 
tered, says a correspondent of the Times of India, the cocoanut 
is equally efficacious with male fern oil, Kousso, pomegranate 
root or turpentine, whilst it is as pleasant to the palate as they 
are offensive.” (Ph. J Nov. 3, 1888, p. 346.) 
Crude cocoanut oil owes its peculiar odour to the presence of a small 
amount of an essential oil. The principal constituents of this oil are 
methylheptyl and methylnonyl ketones. A small amount of an alhedyde is 
also present. The oil therefore resembles oil of rue (Ruta graveleous). 
Under the action of hydrogen at 250 o -800 o C. in the presence of nickel, 
methylnocyl ketone yields a hydro-carbon, C 9 H.,0, and a penacoline C„ H 44 O. 
The hydrocarbon boils at t60°-155°C. at 700 mm. The pinacoline melts at 
27°C., and gives an oxime boiling at 283”-137 < ’C, at 15 mm. and a semi-carba- 
zone, m. pt. 225°-227”C. [A Haller and A. Lassieur. Comptes rend. 1910, 
abstracted in J. Ch. I., 15th June 1910, p. 704.] 
The use of freshly dried kernels ensures the production of an oil contain- 
ing little acidity. 
Cocoanut oil is a light coloured oil, with a bland taste and a peculiar but 
not unpleasant odour. In the winter months when the temperature falls to 
22° to 24° it solidifies to a white fat. The oil may be easily purified and in 
this state it forms a favourite edible oil. Cocoanut oil is used in enormous 
quantities in the manufacture of soaps, made by the boiling process, as also 
by the cold process ; the crystalline character of the fat renders it suitable 
for toilet preparations. The oil is employed extensively as a vegetable butter 
and as a chocolate fat. Cocoanut oil resembles palm oil in its chemical 
composition ; like the latter it contains large proportions of trimyristin and 
trilaurin, smaller quantities of the palmitin, tristearin, and triolein, as also 
the glycerides of the volatile acids caproic, caprylic and capric. It is prac- 
tically free from hydroxy acids (Lewkowitsch), and free from butyric acid. 
Crossley and Le Sueur (1898) obtained the following constants in oil 
received from Malabar, Bengal and Bombay : Specific gravity at 100°, 0-903 
to 0-904 ; acid value, 9 - 9 to 35-2 ; saponification value, 255-5 to 268*2 ; iodine 
value, 8-25 to 8'54 ; Reichert Meissl value, 6'65 to 679; melting point, 23'5 to 
25 - 0 ; insoluble fatty acids, 82 ’35 per cent. 
Cocoanut oil is rarely adulterated with other fats, and the above tests 
are usually sufficient for its recognition. (Agric. Ledger, 191 1-12 — No. 5, pp. 
167-168). 
