Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
October,  1894. 
'•}   Microscopical  Examination  of  Cloves, 
485 
A  sample  supposed  to  contain  a  large  amount  of  wheat-starch . 
yielded  a  surprisingly  small  amount  comparatively,  as  was  shown 
conclusively  on  comparing  with  pure  mixtures  of  wheat-starch  and 
cloves : 
XV.  Pure  sample  of  wheat-starch  contained : 
(69  -f  68  +  67  -f-  69)  273  grains. 
XVI.  Sample  of  cloves  containing  25  per  cent,  of  wheat-starch  : 
(16  -f  19  -J-  16  -f-  18)  69  —  25-28  per  cent. 
XVII.  Sample  of  cloves  containing  10  per  cent,  of  wheat-starch: 
(x3  H~9  +  7  +  I0)  39  grains  =  14-2  per  cent. 
(  9  +  7  +  9  +    8)  33     «     =  12-0  " 
XVIII.  Commercial  samples,  adulterated  with  wheat-starch  : 
The  sample  contained,  therefore,  8-93  per  cent,  of  wheat-starch 
— probably  10  per  cent. 
XIX.  Commercial  samples  with  a  slight  clove  odor.  Under  the 
microscope,  this  revealed  the  presence  of  clove  stems  and  starchy 
material.  It  yielded  scarcely  any  potassium  eugenol,  but  a  green- 
colored  liquid  to  ether.  This  sample  showed  adulteration,  and 
either  an  extraction  of  oil  by  distillation  or  loss  of  oil. 
Anyone  who  has  labored  with  microscopical  work  for  other  than 
mere  pleasure  can  readily  comprehend  the  difficulties  that  must  have 
been  overcome  by  the  author  in  this  investigation  thus  far.  And 
they  who  will  attempt  to  corroborate  these  results,  or  do  original 
work  in  this  direction,  must  not  be  disappointed  if  results  are  not  at 
once  forthcoming.  "  Nature  is  taciturn  and  one  must  wrench  her 
secrets  from  her."  But  after  these  secrets  are  well  obtained  and  the 
way  discovered,  the  work  is  not  so  difficult. 
The  author  hopes  to  elaborate  upon  the  principles  contained  in 
(1)    100  (mm.)2 
18 
24 
28 
(2) 
(3) 
(4) 
4)94 
23-5 
