PURIFICATION  OF  BITTER  ALMOND  OIL. 
437 
management,  been  able  to  obtain  all  the  pure  oil  some  seconds 
before  the  sudden  evolution  of  fumes.  The  oil  then  requires 
filtration  from  small  globules  of  mercury,  and  one-tenth  of  rec- 
tified alcohol  to  be  added, — the  use  of  spirit  is  to  prevent  the 
gradual  decomposition  of  the  pure  oil,  as  it  becomes  turbid  and 
speedily  deposits  crystals,  especially  if  not  perfectly  secured 
from  the  air.  I  have  never  yet  had  an  opportunity  of  determin- 
ing the  composition  of  this  substance,  although  I  have  kept  a 
quantity  for  some  years  till  an  occasion  should  offer.  It  sub- 
limes, leaving  carbonaceous  residue,  melts  at  a  low  heat,  and 
solidiSes  again  to  a  crystalline  mass. 
I  intended  pursuing  this  investigation  further,  but  other  mat- 
ters have  since  occupied  me.  I  should  have  liked  to  determine 
the  composition  of  the  tarry  residue  in  the  retort,  of  the  acrid 
vapors,  and  of  these  crystals  ;  also  to  ascertain  whether  the  oil 
dissolves  other  oxides,  and  to  what  extent.  As  I  cannot 
foresee  any  opportunity  for  so  doing  for  some  little  time,  I 
am  compelled  to  postpone  a  paper  on  these  subjects.  Mean- 
time, I  send  the  result  of  some  experiments  on  the  effects  of  the 
pure  and  impure  oil  on  the  living  animal. 
Fifteen  fluid  minims  of  crude  oil  administered  to  a  full-grown 
cat,  produced  all  the  poisoning  symptoms  of  prussic  acid:  vio- 
lent, spasmodic  contractions,  &c. ;  the  slightest  touch  produc- 
ing a  contraction  in  the  limb  touched  ;  in  twenty-four  hours  the 
cat  was  alive  and  apparently  well. 
Twice  the  above  dose  killed  another  cat  almost  instantly. 
Thirty  fluidminims  of  pure  oil  seemed  to  act  powerfully  at  first 
as  a  stimulant,  terminating,  after  a  minute  or  two,  in  loss  of  all 
power  of  motion,  gradually  diminishing,  and  the  animal  eventu- 
ally got  well. 
The  above  doses  were  all  administered  in  olive  oil.  Thirty 
fluid  minims  of  pure  oil  administered  alone  killed  a  cat  in  some 
hours. 
Ninety  minims  of  pure  oil  alone  killed  a  cat  instantly. 
Farther  experiments  suggested  themselves,  but  the  destruction 
of  life  is  net  a  pleasing  subject  for  experiment,  and  the  above 
are  sufficient  to  show  the  poisonous  nature  even  of  pure  oil,  and 
that  this  eff'ect  is  greatly  modified  by  the  presence  of  olive  oiL — - 
Chem,  News  London^  June  2d,  1861. 
