Am.  Jour.  Pharm. ) 
Feb.,  1882.  J 
Oleum  Betulce  Lentce. 
51 
remain  in  this  condition  over  night,  a  fire  is  made  in  the  morning,  and 
distillation  proceeds  nicely.  The  condensers  used  are  of  two  different 
kinds,  one  being  the  ordinary  copper  worm  placed  in  a  large  barrel, 
while  the  other  is  made  of  copper  pipe,  about  2  inches  in  diameter, 
and  shaped  like  the  letter  U,  each  wing  being  12 J  feet  long,  and 
placed  in  a  trough.  A  stream  of  cold  water  is  constantly  passing  into 
the  barrel  and  trough,  and  is  carried  several  hundred  feet  by  a  wooden 
gutter,  from  a  clean  clear  creek  of  spring  water.  The  condensed 
steam  in  the  condenser  consists  of  water  and  oil.  The  U-shaped  con- 
denser, the  distiller  says,  is  more  desirable  than  the  other,  because  the 
first  portion  of  distillate  contains  oil,  whilst  in  the  old  worm  style  several 
bucketfuls  of  water  pass  out  before  a  drop  of  oil  makes  its  appear- 
ance. As  the  liquid  comes  from  the  condenser  a  novel  contrivance  is 
used  for  collecting  the  oil  and  water,  consisting  of  a  Mason's  fruit  jar 
{2-quart  size),  complete ;  a  small  tin  funnel  is  placed  in  the  metallic 
€ap  of  the  jar  at  one  side,  and  extends  below  the  cap,  the  condensed 
liquid  runs  through  the  funnel  into  the  jar,  and  as  the  weight  of  the 
oil  is  greater  than  that  of  the  water,  it  sinks  to  the  bottom  of  the 
receiving  vessel.  The  water  runs  out  through  a  pipe  fastened  into  the 
cap  on  the  side  opposite  to  that  where  the  funnel  is  inserted,  is  con- 
ducted into  a  bucket,  and  finally  emptied  into  a  barrel,  to  be  used 
again  for  the  next  lot  of  material.  The  advantages  of  using  the  same 
water  in  successive  operations  are  apparent.  When  distillation  ceases, 
the  crude  oil  thus  obtained,  containing  a  little  water  and  fragments  of 
vegetable  matter,  is  emptied  into  a  can,  with  a  broad  flat  spigot,  fas- 
tened as  close  as  possible  to  the  bottom,  and  the  impurities  floating  on 
the  surface ;  the  clear  oil  is  then  drawn  ofl'  through  the  spigot. 
The  rectification  of  the  oil  is  accomplished  in  a  very  short  time,  the 
process  being  decidedly  simple ;  but  as  I  was  requested  and  promised 
not  to  make  it  known  at  the  present  time,  I  regret  that  I  am  compelled 
to  withhold  this  valuable  information,  since  the  perfection  of  this  pro- 
•cess  has  cost  Mr.  Seidle  a  considerable  sum. 
The  odorous  principle  seems  to  be  thoroughly  extracted  from  the 
bark,  and  after  the  distillation  the  contents  of  the  still  have  not  the 
faintest  aromatic  odor  or  taste. 
It  is  generally  understood  in  preparing  the  volatile  oil  from  birch 
bark  to  be  absolutely  necessary  to  submit  the  material  to  inaceration 
with  water,  before  distillation,  in  order  to  develop  the  oil.  The  dis- 
tiller informed  me  that  he  obtains  the  oil  occasionally  from  birch  as 
