OBSERVATIONS ON MYRRH, ETC. 
227 
is separated from it by collecting the residuum and satura- 
ting it with a sufficient quantity of potash. The product of 
this saturation is afterwards evaporated to dryness, and the 
residue is calcined at a dull red heat with a small quantity 
of coal-dust ; it is then dissolved in just a sufficient quantity 
of water: the solution is filtered and treated in the appara- 
tus with peroxide of manganese and concentrated sulphuric 
acid, as above described. 
The bromine thus obtained is rectified by distillation. — 
From the Bulletin de la Societe d' Encouragement, as in- 
serted in the London Journal of Arts. 
ART. XL1X.—OBSERVATIONS ON MYRRH, AND ON A METHOD 
OF DISTINGUISHING IT FROM BDELLIUM. 
By L. F. Bley and E. Diesel. 
The extremely different amount of esssntial oil obtained 
from myrrh, varying between 3.60 and 3.10 per cent., de- 
pends, according fo the authors' observations, on the oxida- 
tion of the essential oil. Myrrh, which contains but little 
of this oil, always exhibits a strongly acid reaction, which 
is never found in that containing a greater proportion. Hu- 
midity especially favours the oxidation, and the moistening 
myrrh with alcohol to give it a better appearance should be 
entirely dispensed with. In the preparation of the essential 
oil, the water freed from the oil is found to have a strong acid 
reaction. This was saturated with carbonate of lime mixed 
with acetate of lead, evaporated, and treated with absolute 
alcohol, when formiate of lead was precipitated. This salt 
was decomposed by means of phosphoric acid, and the pre- 
sence of the formic acid confirmed by the tests with per- 
