ADULTERATION OF SAFFRON WITH STAMENS OF CROCUS. 
453 
sample of this saffron was offered for sale by two Spaniards, wdio came furnished 
with a recommendation from a gentleman well known to the members of the 
Fig. 1. Stamen of Crocus, somewhat enlarged in order to exhibit more distinctly its cha¬ 
racteristics. 
Fig. 2. A part of the tubular portion of the perianth of Crocus, hearing two stamens. 
Fig. 3. The same as Fig. 2, except that three stamens are inserted on the inside of the 
tubular portion. 
Fig. 4. The upper end of the style, with the three stigmas, of Crocus sativus, which toge¬ 
ther form genuine saffron. 
firm ; and it was stated that a quantity of it could be furnished if required. 
Upon examination, the saffron was refused by the firm, as it did not answer to 
their tests of true saffron, and a sample was afterwards forwarded to this Society 
for further investigation.* 
Upon a superficial examination this specimen of saffron presented a consider¬ 
able resemblance to genuine saffron in general appearance, colour, and odour. 
Upon a closer inspection, the odour was found to be much less penetrating and 
aromatic than that of true saffron, and to have added to it something of a dif¬ 
ferent and peculiar nature; and the mass was seen to be principally composed 
of somewhat cylindrical twisted compressible bodies, with a few firmer thread¬ 
like ones intermixed, instead of being wholly composed of firm thread-like 
bodies, as would have been the case with a specimen of genuine saffron. In 
other words, the present specimen of saffron was found to be less fibrous or fila¬ 
mentous in appearance than that of genuine saffron. 
Upon infusing a portion of the specimen in warm water, and comparing the 
appearances which it then presented with some true saffron exposed to similar 
conditions, the difference between the two was most striking, and could not but 
have been evident to any ordinary observer. Thus, in the case of the genuine 
saffron, the colour was seen to be but slowly communicated to the water, which 
gradually assumed a deep orange-yellow colour, and remained perfectly clear 
and transparent; and when the infused mass was stirred up and diffused 
through the liquid, the peculiar appearance and structure of the styles and 
stigmas constituting genuine saffron as already noticed (Fig. 4), was clearly 
exhibited. With the other specimen, however, the colour was almost imme- 
* I shall be greatly obliged to any chemist, who, when he has reason to suspect the adulte¬ 
ration of any drug, but cannot satisfy himself upon the adulterant, if he will forward a 
specimen to me for further examination. In this way, old adulterations may be again exposed, 
and new ones detected and brought before the public. 
