Amju™y-iSTm'}      An  Old  Sample  of  Camphor  Oil  333 
AX  OLD  SAMPLE  OF  CAMPHOR  OIL. 
By  Henry  Trimble  and  Hermann  J.  M.  Schroeter. 
Contribution  from  the  Chemical  Laboratory  of  the  Philadelphia  College  of 
Pharmacy.    No.  54. 
Since  the  publication  of  our  paper  on  oil  of  camphor  in  the  June 
number  of  this  Journal,  page  273,  we  have  been  supplied  with  a  sam- 
ple which  was  bottled  by  the  late  Frederick  Brown  more  than  50 
vears  ago.  At  that  time  it  was  put  up  in  2  drachm  bottles  and  sold 
at  a  high  price  for  internal  use.  This  sample  resembled  in  physical 
properties  the  one  exhibited  by  Prof.  J.  M.  Maisch  at  the  last  phar- 
maceutical meeting  (see  page  315),  and  it  is  probable  that  both  sam- 
ples correctly  represent  the  character  of  the  oil  imported  at  that  time. 
The  sample  from  Mr.  Brown  which  we  will  mark  No.  IX,  had 
a  deep  yellow  color,  and  possessed  a  pleasant  camphoraceous  odor. 
It  began  to  boil  at  178°  C,  had  a  sp.  gr.  of  09467  at  16°  C,  and 
possessed  strong  dextro-rotary  power  =^66*2°  with  a  200  mm.  tube. 
A  5  per  cent  alcoholic  solution  of  the  oil  gave  with  5  drops  of  sat- 
urated alcoholic  solution  of  ferric  chloride  a  green  coloration.  This 
coloration,  we  have  since  found,  was  also  produced  in  the  above  pro- 
portions with  oils  I  and  II  of  our  last  paper,  which  however 
rapidly  faded  with  sample  Xo.  I,  while  with  Xo.  II,  it  was  more 
decided. 
About  4  per  cent,  of  camphor  had  crystallized  out,  and  on  cooling 
to  somewhat  below  0°  C,  the  oil  formed  a  mass  of  separated  camphor. 
On  distillation,  this  oil  gave  quite  different  results  from  any  of  the 
other  samples  examined. 
One  half  litre  was  subjected  to  fractional  distillation  in  a  vacuum. 
When  25  per  cent,  had  distilled  over,  camphor  separated  out,  and 
continued  so,  until  about  25  per  cent,  of  the  oil  still  remained  in  the 
distilling  flask.  On  redistillation,  the  oil  was  found  to  contain  the 
following  definite  fractions  (the  numbers  correspond  with  those  of  the 
fractions  of  oil  Xo.  1,  page  282),  in  quantity  as  given  : 
Boiling  point.  Per  cent. 
(2). 
From  158°-162°  C. 
159°  C. 
6-00 
(3). 
"     167°-169°  C. 
168°  C. 
9-00 
(4). 
"     170°-172°  C. 
171°  C. 
2-00 
(5). 
"  175°-177°C. 
176°  C. 
1100 
(6). 
"     180°-182°  C 
180°  C. 
2-00 
(7). 
"     202°-206°  C. 
204°  C. 
5200 
18). 
"     212°-215°  C. 
213°  C. 
15-00 
(11). 
"     250°-270°  C. 
3  00 
