THE  ADULTERATIONS  OP  MUSK. 
429 
alumina,  common  alum  and  muriate  of  baryta.  Chloride  of 
mercury  does  not  disturb  the  fluid ;  potassa,  soda,  and  the 
alkaline  carbonates  impart  to  it  a  darker  color;  ammonia  and 
lime  water  cause  a  slight  disturbance ;  tannic  acid  and  many 
organic,  especially  animal,  substances  do  that  only  when  added 
in  excess.  Absolute  alcohol  dissolves  musk  not  to  the  same  ex- 
tent as  water,  repeated  extraction  leaving  75  per  cent,  of  a  gray- 
colored,  slightly  brownish  mass.  The  solution  is  of  a  yellowish- 
white  and  somewhat  red  color,  with  a  fine  white  flaky  sediment. 
Addition  of  water  only  aff'ects  it,  when  resinous  or  fatty 
substances  are  present.  Diluted  alcohol  dissolves  musk  the 
more  readily  the  more  water  it  contains.  Ether  and  chloroform 
possess  hardly  any  dissolving  power. 
Adulterations  with  dried  blood,  animal  coal,  vegetable  ex- 
tracts, adipose  substances,  resins,  asphaltum,  stone  coal,  coffee 
sediments,  etc.,  are  recognized  by  the  difference  in  the  changes 
produced  under  the  influence  of  other  agents;  desiccated  blood, 
for  instance,  being  not  very  soluble  in  water,  etc. 
It  may  be  necessary  to  reduce  the  suspected  substance  to 
ashes.  Burning  musk  smells  like  burned  extract  of  urine.  It 
leaves  about  five  per  cent,  of  grayish-white,  here  and  there  yel- 
lowish or  pale  red  ashes,  containing  potash,  lime,  magnesia^  iron, 
carbonic,  phosphoric  and  sulphuric  acids,  chlorine,  traces  of  fer- 
rocyanate  of  potassa  and  sulphuret  of  ammonium.  Blood  leaves 
8-5  per  cent,  of  red  brown  ashes;  other  admixtures  only  a  very 
small  percentage. 
Musk  sold  without  pouches  seems  to  be  extensively  mixed 
with  inferior  sorts — an  adulteration  which  cannot  be  detected. 
Probably  the  mass  remaining  after  extraction  by  alcohol  is  fre- 
quently used  for  the  same  purpose.  Pouches  that  have  been 
punctured  and  macerated  in  alcohol,  are  recognized  by  their 
shrivelled,  knotty  appearance.  The  residue  left  in  the  prepara- 
tion of  the  officinal  tinctures  is  possibly  also  sold  for  pure  musk. 
Moistening  is  frequently  resorted  to,  for  the  purposes  of  increas- 
ing the  weight.  Every  specimen  which  loses  much  in  weight  by 
drying,  should  be  rejected,  for  genuine  musk,  even  if  kept  as 
dry  as  possible,  has  rather  a  tendency  to  increase  somewhat  in 
weight. 
Pieces  of  lead  or  iron,  small  shot,  stones,  portions  of  tendons, 
