ON SOPHISTICATED OIL OF WORMWOOD. 
233 
rated, and a medicine was thus formed having an acid and bitter 
flavor, for which the pacha paid 500 piastres. — London Pharma- 
ceutical Journal, November, 1850, from Archiv der Pharmacie, 
and Journal de Pharmacie d'Anvers. 
NOTE UPON SOPHISTICATED OIL OF WORMWOOD- 
By B. W. Bull. 
Specific gravity, Pereira, .972. Lowig, .973. Brisson, .9703. 
Brandes, ,9725. 
The essential oil obtained by distillation from the Artemisia Ab- 
sinthium does not seem to have received much attention from 
chemists, and its properties are accordingly imperfectly under- 
stood. Lowig says that " at 180° C. it enters into ebullition, be- 
tween 200°-205°, the boiling point remains constant for some 
time, but finally rises, while the residue generally becomes thick 
in the retort. 
The sample in question was part of a large lot obtained from 
Boston ; the odor and general appearance indicated an article of 
superior quality, but its specific gravity, .920, led to the suspicion 
that it contained some admixture of foreign substances. A portion 
of it subjected to distillation in a sand-bath, entered into an active 
ebullition at 85° C. — 185° F., while a copious distillate appeared 
in the receiver. The thermometer rose slowly to 198° F., the 
quantity gradually diminished until the latter point was reached, 
when it ceased altogether. At about this temperature the liquid 
ceased boiling, and the thermometer rose steadily to 200° C. — 
392° F., when ebullition again commenced. Between these two 
latter temperatures nothing came over. The distillate was lim- 
pid, colorless, and possessed a saccharine pungent flavor, somewhat 
masked by the characteristic aromatic taste of wormwood. 
In order to ascertain the amount of foreign volatile matter pre- 
sent, a second portion, weighing 2,187 grains was subjected to 
distillation from a suitable vessel. The same phenomena were ob- 
served, and the residue, after the operation was finished, weighed 
1,331 grains, indicating a loss by the process of 856 grains, or a 
trifle over 39 per cent. 
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