994 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters. 
Crato 1 state that the presence of castor oil is indicated when 
more than 50 per cent, of the oleoresin is soluble in 95 per cent, 
alcohol. Solubility tests made in the laboratory with glacial 
acetic acid have shown that not over 10 per cent, by volume 
of the oleoresin is soluble in the latter, a greater degree of 
solubility indicating adulteration with castor oil. 
Specific gravity: Observations made in the laboratory show 
that the specific gravity should be above 1.000 when determined 
at 25°C. This is in keeping with the findings of Parry (1911) 
and Hill (1913), respectively, even though their determinations 
were made at 15°C. It is also the standard given in the late* 
edition of the British Pharmacopoeia. A specific gravity of 
less than 1.000 usually indicates adulteration with castor oil 
or a preparation naturally low in filiein content. It may, how¬ 
ever, be due to the addition of chlorophyll as pointed out by 
Hill, or to the presence of unevaporated solvent. These de¬ 
tails, together with the effect produced by the use of different 
solvents in the extraction of the drug are brought out in the 
following tables: 
Table 13 — Specific gravities of oleoresins prepared in the laboratory. 
Sample 
No. 
Date 
Observer 
Solvent 
Specific 
gravity 
1...... 
1910... 
DuMez & Netzel... 
Alcohol. 
At 25° C 
1.166 
1.052 
2. 
Acetone. 
3. 
Ether. 
1 012 
4. 
« “ 
Petrol, ether. 
0.995 
1.. 
DuMez. 
Acetone. 
1 048 
2. 
Ether. 
1.000 
1. 
i 1916... 
Acetone. 
1.009 ( 2 ) 
0.997 ( 2 ) 
2.. 
“ 
Ether. 
1 
1 Kommentar zum Arzneibuch fuer das deutsche Reich (1901), p. 258. 
2 Same as 2 and 3 after having stood in the laboratory for 6 years. Both 
contained a heavy deposit which was not mixed with the liquid portion when 
the specific gravity was redetermined. 
