AmbJe°curi87h8!rm"}    Reaction  of  Orange  Flower  Water.  583 
flower  water,  treated  with  nitric  acid,  acquires  in  a  few  minutes  a  rose- 
red  color  (Ader  and  others).  With  oil  of  vitriol,  it  becomes  rose- 
colored  (LeRoy);  but  Ader  insists  that  this  is  only  the  case  when  the 
oil  of  vitriol  contains  nitric  acid,  and,  he  adds,  that  it  is  not  colored  by- 
hydrochloric  acid.  Ether,  almond  oil  and  castor  oil  abstract  from 
orange  flower  water  the  whole  of  the  volatile  oil  ;  the  ether  solution, 
mixed  with  nitric  acid,  immediately  assumes  a  rose  color  and  leaves,  on 
evaporation,  a  fragrant  volatile  oil  (Ader,  1830,  1  Journal  de  Phar- 
macies also  Soubeiran)." 
Our  experiments  may  be  divided  into  two  sections  \  firstly,  the  isola- 
tion of  the  soluble  oil ;  secondly,  its  reactions. 
I.  In  order  to  separate  the  soluble  oil,  300  cc.  of  orange  flower 
water  were  introduced  into  a  glass  tube  about  1  meter  in  length  and 
20  mm.  diameter,  having  its  lower  extremity  drawn  out  and  closed  by 
a  pinch  cock  and  india  rubber  tube,  as  in  Mohr's  burette,  whilst^the 
upper  end  was  drawn  out  and  fitted  to  receive  a  small  cork  ;  60  cc.  of 
absolute  ether  were  added,  and  thorough  agitation  effected.  After 
separation,  the  operation  was  repeated  with  30  cc.  of  fresh  ether.  The 
mixed  portions  of  ether  were  placed  in  a  small  distilling  flask,  and  the 
ether  was  evaporated  in  a  current  of  air.  Some  of  the  volatile  oil  may 
have  passed  ofF  with  the  ether,  and  a  slight  odor  favored  this  supposi- 
tion, but  as  the  flask  was  constantly  coated  with  ice,  owing  to  the 
refrigeration  caused  by  the  rapid  volatilization  of  the  ether,  the  process 
of  evaporation  could  hardly  have  been  effected  more  favorably  as 
regards  the  avoidance  of  loss.  The  oil  obtained  weighed  2'  126  grams 
=0'ji  per  cent,  upon  the  orange  flower  water  used.  It  had  solidified 
towards  the  close  of  the  process,  but  rapidly  liquefied  when  evapora- 
tion ceased  ;  it  possessed  a  deliciously  fragrant  odor. 
II.  The  reactions  of  the  oil  with  nitric  acid  (normal  strength,  63 
grams  per  liter)  are  those  stated  for  orange  flower  water  by  previous 
observers,  but  intensified  in  degree.  The  color  may  be  described  as 
crimson-red  ;  that  with  orange  flower  water  is  faint  red.  We  have  to 
differ  with  Ader  on  two  points,  viz.,  we  find  that  pure  sulphuric  acid 
produces  the  rose-color  with  orange  flower  water,  and  that  hydro- 
chloric acid  does  the  same  ;  both  reactions  being  much  less  marked 
than  with  nitric  acid. 
The  orange  flower  water  after  exhaustion  by  ether  gave  no  trace  of 
coloration  with  nitric  acid.     It  was  not,  however,  absolutely  deprived 
