8 
Synthetical  Oil  of  Gaultheria. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Jan.,  1887. 
SYNTHETICAL  OIL  OF  GAULTHERIA. 
By  Charles  Bullock. 
Bead  at  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting,  December  21. 
In  1842  William  Procter,  Jr.,  published  in  the  American  Journal 
of  Pharmacy,  "  Observations  on  the  volatile  oil  of  Gaultheria  pro- 
cumbens" — proving  it  to  be  a  hydracid  similar  to  salicylic  acid.1 
Subsequently  M.  Cahours  made  an  ultimate  analysis  of  the  oil  and 
showed  that  it  had  the  same  composition  as  salicylate  of  methylene. 
There  has  now  been  introduced  into  commerce  a  synthetical  oil  of 
gaultheria.  This  oil  is  colorless,  has  a  specific  gravity  of  1*176  and 
boils  at  398°  F. 
The  odor  of  the  oil  closely  resembles  that  obtained  from  the  plant; 
when  agitated  with  water  the  same  reaction  is  afforded  on  addition  of 
chloride  of  iron  as  is  given  by  the  natural  oil.  It  may  be  distinguished 
from  the  natural  oil  by  agitating  a  few  drops  with  water  in  a  tube,  a 
tinted  mixture  is  formed  from  which  the  oil  does  not  separate  for 
some  time;  the  oil  from  the  plant  when  agitated  with  water  separates 
almost  immediately  in  clear  drops.  The  artificial  oil  contains  a  small 
amount  of  what  appears  to  be  methyl  ether,  which  tends  to  suspend 
the  oil  in  water;  repeated  washing  removes  most  of  this  product, 
after  which  the  oil  settles  more  quickly. 
Some  experiments  were  made  by  Mr.  Geo.  M.  Berringer  on  the 
manufacture  of  the  oil,  using  the  following  formula : 
Salicylic  acid,  £  oz. 
Methylic  alcohol,  absolute,  2  fl  oz. 
Sulphuric  acid,  1  fl  oz. 
Dissolve  the  salicylic  acid  in  the  alcohol,  then  add  gradually  the  sul- 
phuric acid  ;  warm  gently  during  24  hours ;  then  distill  from  a  retort 
into  which  a  current  of  steam  is  introduced. 
The  distillate  is  to  be  well  washed  and  separated  by  decantatiom 
The  odor  of  the  product  improves  by  keeping. 
aVol.  xiv,  p.  211. 
Piper  Betle,  Lin.— The  volatile  oil  of  the  leaves  was  found  by  Schmitz 
to  be  a  good  antiseptic  and  useful  in  catarrhal  complaints.  Dr.  Kleinstiick  of 
Jena  has  obtained  similar  results.  The  volatile  oil  appears  to  contain  an 
aldehyde,  and  is  stated  to  rapidly  oxidize  on  exposure  and  to  loose  its  char- 
acteristic odor  and  its  therapeutic  properties. 
