ON SOME PRINCIPLES OF WHITE CINNAMON. 
67 
ART. XX.— ON SOME PRINCIPLES OF WHITE CIN- 
NAMON. 
By "Wohler. 
Meyer and Reiche undertook, at the invitation of Wohler 
investigations concerning the principles of white cinnamon 
(Costus dulcis.) The following are the results : — 
f. MANNITE. 
Petros and Robinet first demonstrated the existence of 
this principle in the bark; but they left undecided the 
question as to whether it is really mannite. The present 
investigations have proved that this principle does not differ 
from ordinary mannite. The bark contains a very large 
quantity of it — about eight per cent. If it be boiled with 
water, and if the liquor be evaporated, a great quantity of 
an extract of a slightly bitter and acid taste is obtained : 
boiling alchol removes mannite from the latter, and this 
mannite may be easily obtained colorless by several crystalli- 
zations. The portion insoluble in alcohol contains, besides 
other principles, starch and many salts, particularly a cal- 
careous salt. 
II. ESSENTIAL OIL. 
Ten pounds of bark gave, by distillation with water, 12 
drachms of volatile oil. It was lighter than water and had 
a strong aromatic odor. In another preparation, in which 
much less bark was employed, and in which the distilled 
water had been cohabated several times, an oil finally 
passed over which sunk in water. 
The whole quantity of crude oil obtained was left for 
several days, frequently stirred, in contact with a concen- 
trated solution of potassa ; the mass was then diluted with 
water, and the oil was extracted by distillation. The greater 
