AmASusiPiSm-}        Oils  of  Wintergreen  and  Birch.  403 
Vapor  Density. — 0*0811  gram  substance  displaced  16*3  cc.  air. 
Found  4-30 
Calculated  for  Benzoic  Acid  4*23 
THE  ALCOHOLS. 
The  original  liquid  after  separation  of  salicylic  acid  was  repeatedly 
distilled  and  the  first  portion  saved  each  time  in  order  to  recover  the 
alcohol.  This  was  finally  macerated  with  and  distilled  from  four  lots 
of  calcium  oxide. 
The  alcohol  from  wintergreen  had  the  sp.  gr.  0*801  and  boiled  at 
67°  to  73°  C.  The  alcohol  from  birch  had  the  sp.  gr.  0'<S017  and 
boiled  at  67°  to  73°  C.  When  submitted  to  the  iodoform  test,  both 
quickly  gave  the  characteristic  odor,  and,  after  standing,  deposited 
yellow  crystals  of  iodoform,  indicating  the  presence  of  small  quanti- 
ties of  ethyl  alcohol. 
ARTIFICIAL  OIL  OF  WTNTERGREEN. 
This  preparation  has  been  manufactured  and  offered  for  sale  by  a 
few  firms  in  recent  years.  So  long  as  it  is  sold  for  what  it  really  is, 
no  objection  can  be  attached  to  the  sale  of  it.  But  the  temptation  to 
replace  the  true  oils  by  the  artificial  product  will  grow  stronger  as  the 
price  of  the  latter  becomes  lower,  and  no  doubt  it  is  used  to  mix  with 
them  at  the  present  time. 
In  view  of  the  fact  that  the  oil  of  birch  has  in  part  displaced  that 
of  wintergreen,  Dr.  Squibb1  nearly  two  years  ago  made  some  remarks 
about  the  similarity  of  the  three,  suggesting  that  oil  of  birch  should 
be  called  by  its  correct  name,  and  that  the  Pharmacopoeia  by  its 
present  definition  is  lending  its  authority  to  perpetuate  the  error. 
These  statements  have  since  called  forth  from  others  the  recommenda- 
tion that  the  artificial  oil  should  be  made  officinal  at  the  next  revision 
of  the  Pharmacopoeia.  How  far  this  would  be  undesirable  may  appear 
on  examining  the  following  analysis  of  a  representative  sample  of  the 
commercial  artificial  product,  and  reflecting  on  the  present  difference 
between  this  and  either  of  the  natural  oils,  and  the  still  greater  differ- 
ence that  would  naturally  follow  the  recommendation  of  the  artificial 
methyl  salicylate  by  the  Pharmacopoeia.  If  it  is  not  a  pure  compound 
now,  when  it  is  competing  for  recognition,  what  would  it  degenerate 
to  if  it  should  become  established  by  the  recommendation  of  the 
Pharmacopoeia? 
1  Ephemeris,  October,  1887,  p.  954. 
