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THE  ADULTERATIONS  OF  MUSK. 
A  very  small  amount  of  musk,  mixed  with  a  few  drops  of  oil 
of  turpentine  or  glycerin,  and  heated  for  a  short  time,  appears, 
when  cold  again,  under  the  microscope,  in  the  form  of  cloddy 
globules  of  a  yellow  (where  accumulated,  brownish)  color,  and  is 
thus  readily  distinguished  from  powdered  coal  and  other  admix- 
tures. Where  the  character  of  one  or  the  other  globule  remains 
doubtful,  a  fresh  portion  of  musk  is  heated  with  a  few  drops  of 
a  solution  of  potash.  The  dissolved  light-brown  substance  pre- 
sents under  the  microscope  innumerable  fat-globules  of  different 
size.     Ammonia  has  a  similar  effect. 
Nitric  acid,  mixed  with  musk  and  slightly  heated,  produces 
vapors,  presenting  the  smell  of  musk  and  nitrous  acid,  and 
changes  the  musk  to  a  light  brown,  soft,  resinous  mass,  which 
turns  into  a  browish  cloudy  fluid  under  the  addition  of  a  little 
more  acid.  Appearance  under  the  microscope  same  as  before 
described.  The  addition  of  water  produces  a  copious  yellowish- 
red  sediment,  which  is  soluble  in  solution  of  potash. 
Concentrated  sulphuric,  muriatic,  acetic  acids  show  no  influ- 
ence on  musk  in  common  temperature.  Aided  by  heat,  sulphuric 
acid  produces  a  dirty  brown  frothy  solution,  which  after  a  while 
turns  turbid  and  blackish.  The  other  acids  named,  induce  even 
with  heat,  no  great  alteration,  beyond  vapors  corresponding  to 
the  acid,  swelling  of  the  globules,  and  coloration  of  the  acid, 
without  perceivable  solution.  Similar  is  the  action  of  iodide  of 
potassium  combined  with  iodine. 
If  admixtures  are  discovered,  they  should  be  isolated  by 
treating  the  mass  with  diluent  agents,  especially  cold  or  hot 
water,  or  by  cautious  flowing. 
Musk  that  has  been  subjected  to  extraction  (for  perfumery 
purposes,  etc.)  is  frequently  used  to  adulterate  the  officinal  arti- 
cle. This  can  be  detected  by  dissolving  the  suspicious  mass  in 
diff'erent  fluids.  Hot  water  dissolves  only  fifty-five  per  cent,  of 
well-dried  musk.  A  solution  of  it  in  twenty  parts  of  water  is 
red-brown,  somewhat  thick,  not  easily  filtered,  of  acid  reaction, 
not  disturbed  by  ether  or  alcohol.  All  mineral  and  organic 
acids  produce  a  dirty  brown  sediment,  leaving  the  solution  of  a 
yellowish-red  color.  A  similar  eff"ect  is  shown  by  acetate  of 
lead,  the  oxides  of  iron,  muriate  of  tin,  the  nitrates  of  mercury 
and  silver,  sulphate  of  copper,  chloride  of  platinum,  sulphate  of 
