374 
Notes  on  Essential  Oils. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
July,  1889. 
in  which  equal  to  17  per  cent,  of  spermaceti  was  added  to  a  sample  of  Turk- 
ish oil  1*5  per  cent,  was  recovered. 
The  melting-points  of  stearoptene  from  samples  of  German  rose  oil  ranged 
from  35°  to  36"5° ;  those  of  stearoptene  from  Turkish  oil  from  33'5°  to  35° ; 
that  of  the  stearoptene  from  the  oil  to  which  1*7  per  cent,  of  spermaceti  had 
been  added  was  31'5°-32°. 
Rose  oil,  from  which  stearoptene  has  been  removed  in  the  above-described 
manner,  is  perfectly  liquid  at  0°;  but  when  placed  in  a  cooling  mixture  it 
solidifies  to  a  gelatinous  mass,  so  that  it  is  not  quite  free  from  stearoptene. 
This  liquid  oil  is  described  as  having  an  extraordinarily  fine  powerful  odor, 
and  as  presenting  the  advantage  that  when  used  dissolved  in  spirit  it  does 
not  give  rise  to  any  crystalline  separation. 
The  following  new  oils  have  been  prepared  experimentally  by  Messrs. 
Schimmel  during  the  last  six  months  : — 
Mountain  Wormwood  Oil. — A  distillate  of  the  herb  Artemisia  glacialis,  known 
in  commerce  as  "  genepi  herb  "  (genepi  des  alpes).  One  hundred  kilograms 
of  the  herb  yielded  250  grams  of  an  essential  oil  sp.  gr.  0*964  at  20°,  which 
solidified  to  the  consistence  of  butter  at  0°,  in  consequence  of  it  containing 
a  fat  acid  melting  at  61°  C.  The  boiling  point  of  the  oil  was  between  195° 
and  310°.  It  had  an  unusually  powerful  aromatic  odor,  and  it  is  thought  it 
might  be  suitable  for  making  "  Benedictine  "  and  "  Chartreuse,"  for  which 
purpose  the  herb  is  said  to  be  used  in  France. 
Bear-root  Oil. — Distillate  of  the  root  of  Meum  anthamanticum,  Jaq.  100  kilos 
of  the  dried  root  of  commerce  gave  670  grams  of  a  dark  yellow  essential  oil, 
the  odor  of  which  much  resembled  that  of  lovage.  Sp.  gr.  at  21°  0  999.  It 
commenced  to  boil  at  170°,  but  the  temperature  mounted  to  above  300°, 
when  a  green-blue  fraction  passed  over,  having  a  celery  odor. 
Carlina  Root  Oil. — Distillate  of  the  root  of  Carlina  acaulis.  From  100  kilos 
of  dried  root  was  obtained  2  kilos  of  an  essential  oil  having  a  heavy  narcotic 
odor,  of  which  one-half  boiled  between  265°  and  300°,  when  decomposition 
commenced;  the  remainder  resinified.  Sp.  gr.  T030  at  18°.  This  oil  is 
recommended  as  worthy  of  a  scientific  investigation. 
Muscatel  Sage  Oil. — Distillate  of  the  herb  and  flowers  of  Salvia  sclarea,  the 
so-called  "  muscatel  sage,"  a  plant  growing  wild  in  Southern  Europe  and  the 
east,  and  cultivated  in  South  Germany.  The  oil  has  the  characteristic  spicy 
odor  and  taste  of  the  herb.  The  yield  amounts  to  only  one-fifth  per  cent., 
and  probably  the  cost  of  its  production  would  be  too  high  to  allow  of  it  com- 
ing into  practical  use. 
Onion  Oil. — The  pure  essential  oil  of  the  common  onion  (Allium  Cepa). 
About  5000  kilos  of  onions  yielded  233  grams  of  a  red-brown  oil,  sp.  gr. 
T036  at  19°.  The  same  yield  leads  to  the  presumption  that  during  distilla- 
tion a  loss  occurs  through  decomposition.  On  the  other  hand,  as  the  onion 
consists  of  90  per  cent,  of  water  and  only  10  per  cent,  of  solid  substance,  the 
result  from  this  point  of  view  appears  less  unfavorable. 
The  following  distillates  have  been  received  from  Japan  : — 
Hinoki  Oil. — The  essential  oil  from  Retinospora  obtusa,  a  plant  occurring 
frequently  in  Japan,  resembling  savin  or  thuja  oil  in  odor.    Probably  with- 
