The  Oil  of  Argemone  Mexicana. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
February,  1914.. 
either  left  exposed  to  the  atmosphere  or  heated  on  the  water  bath  it 
gradually  acquires  a  rich  brown  color.  If  it  be  still  further  heated 
the  color  deepens  and  it  diffuses  a  very  intense  odor,  like  that  of 
the  juice  of  the  fresh  plant. 
The  pressed  oil  was  of  a  deep  brown  color,  had  a  mild  odor  and 
was  tasteless.  The  freshly  obtained  oil  was  very  thin,  but  on  keep- 
ing it  gradually  thickened.  Crossley  and  Le  Sueur  (Journ.  Soc. 
Chem.  Ind.}  1898,  991)  say  the  fresh  oil  is  of  orange  color  and  has  a 
slight  but  distinctive  smell. 
The  mixed  fatty  acids  had  a  paler  color  and  were  very  thin. 
The  oil  on  keeping  exposed  to  the  atmosphere  or  on  treatment 
with  an  oxidizing  agent  deposited  a  very  small  quantity  of  a  red 
crystalline  substance  (M.P.  1720  C). 
The  oil  gradually  thickened  with  the  lowering  of  temperature, 
until  at  1 70  C.  the  clear  liquid  became  turbid,  the  temperature  re- 
mained constant  for  a  little  time  at  160  C.  Charbonnier's  oil  re- 
mained clear  at  — 8°  C.  and  Fluckiger's  oil  at  — 6°  C. 
The  specific  gravity  was  determined  at  two  different  temperatures, 
at  28 0  C.  and  at  the  boiling  point  of  water.  In  the  former  case  it 
was  0.91 17  and  at  the  latter  it  was  0.9007.  Charbonnier  obtained  a 
specific  gravity  of  0.920,  Fluckiger  0.919  at  16.5 0  C.  and  Crossley 
and  Le  Sueur  0.9247-0.9259  at  1 5.50  C. 
The  refractive  index  obtained  with  a  Pulfrich's  refractometer 
was  430  34'  at  32 0  C.  or  1.46552.  With  a  butyro  refractometer 
Crossley  and  Le  Sueur  obtained  at  400  C.  a  refractive  index  of  62.5. 
The  oil  and  absolute  alcohol  were  miscible  in  any  extent.  For 
the  determination  of  its  solubility  in  dilute  alcohol  the  following 
method  was  adopted.  In  a  stoppered  graduated  tall  cylinder  a 
measured  volume  of  oil  was  introduced,  to  this  a  known  volume  of 
alcohol  was  added  and  then  water  added  drop  by  drop  with  con- 
tinuous shaking  till  a  permanent  turbidity  was  obtained.  The  total 
volume  was  read  off  and  from  this  when  the  volume  of  oil  and 
alcohol  was  subtracted  the  volume  of  water  added  was  obtained. 
Table  of  Solubility  in  Alcohol  of  Different  Strength  at  32°C. 
Oil. 
Water. 
Alcohol. 
10 
10 
IO 
IO 
II 
22 
28 
24 
24 
9 
15 
12 
20 
32 
42 
42 
45 
