official kind is in specific gravity, which is 0 9G3. This is above the 13.P. figure, but the experience of 
distillers of East Indian wood goes to show that oil from that source has a specific gravity of at least 0-970, 
and that figure is, we believe, generally taken by wholesale houses. That being so, it is obvious that the 
Australian oil might be looked upon with suspicion, especially as it is not so soluble as East Indian oil in 
a mixture of one part of proof spirit and three parts of rectified spirit; the latter dissolves in its own 
volume, while 1 volume of Austral : an oil requires at least 1] volume of the spirit. Both differences are, 
we have assured ourselves, due to the oil containing a larger proportion of lower boiling constituents, and 
not to admixture of cedarwood oil. So far as the physical characteristics indicate, the oil may be regarded 
as equal to official sandalwood oil, but it would be advantageous to have a hospital trial made of it.” 
Extract from the Chemist and Druggist , dated 4th April, 1891 
, . . . In your issue of the 28th ultimo you published an article under the head of “Australian 
Sandalwood Oil,” in which you say, “ The most notable point of difference between this oil and the official 
kind is in specific gravity, which is 0 963 ;” but the “experience of distillers of East Indian wood goes to 
show that oil from that source has a specific gravity of at least 0'970.” I beg to say that, in practice, we 
have found a difference of from 3 to 5 points between the specific gravities of the oils from young and 
full-grown wood. We have tried a series of experiments, and all our last shipments are of the specific 
gravity of 0 9G5 to 0-969. 
You conclude by saying, “ It would be advantageous to have a hospital trial made of it.” I beg to 
assure you that it has been thoroughly tested, both in hospitals and by private medical men, in the 
Australian Colonies. The oil passed through its experimental stages, and was highly approved of years 
ago, or it would not have been introduced here. I enclose testimonials from Mr. Joseph Bosisto, 
Melbourne (1st October, 1885); the Industrial and Technological Museum, Melbourne; and others, 
bearing out this assertion. 
A further article on West Australian Sandalwood will be found in the 
Chemist and Druggist for 2nd January, 1897, p. 17. 
A valuable paper* by Mr. E. J. Parry on “ Western Australian Sandalwood 
Oil ” will be found in the same journal for 29tli October, 1893, p. 70S. 
Following is the latest report on the oil, taken from Gildemeister and 
Hoffmann’s work already quoted :— 
WEST AUSTRALIAN SANDALWOOD OIL. 
The wood of Santalum cygnorum , Miq. ( Fusanus spicalus, R.Br.), is exported from Fremantle, 
West Australia, and is known in the Singapore market as Swan River Sandalwood. In India and China 
it is used as substitute for the Indian Sandalwood from Santalum album. The wood contains 2 per cent, 
of oil, having an unpleasant resinous odour; sp. gr., 0-953f-0-965 (Parry!) ; a^ = + 5° 20'. 
West Australian Sandalwood oil, therefore, has very different properties from those of the East 
Indian oil, and cannot be used as a substitute for the latter. The oil was distilled as early as 1875 by 
Schimmel & Co. Recently the distillation of the oil has been taken up in Fremantle.§ 
Parry| found the saponification numbers 1J-L6. After acetylisation he obtained saponification 
numbers which seemed to indicate an apparent santalol content of 75 per cent. Whether the alcohol of 
this oil is identical with that of .S', album lias not yet been established.—“ The Volatile Oils,” p. 345. 
3. Fusanus crassifolius, 11.Br.—A rare species, confined to this State, and 
of no economic importance at present. 
See also “ Odorographia,’’ already referred to, quoting a valuable paper by Mr. Cripps. 
+ Bericht von Schimmel <1- Co., October, 1888, p. 36, and April, 1891, p. 43. 
J Notes on Santal Wood Oil, p. 9 ; Chan, and Dnl/jg ., 53, p. 708. 
§ Bericht con Schimmel <(• Co., October, 1898, p. 45. 
