EXAMINATION  OF  JAPANESE  PEPPER. 
445 
they  are  generally  wanting  in  the  sample  which  we  have  ex- 
amined. 
"  The  flavor  of  Japanese  pepper  is  aromatic  and  agreeable, 
with  a  pungency  not  unlike  that  of  pellitory  (Radix  pyrethri). 
Its  odor  when  bruised  is  remarkably  fragrant. 
"  It  is  employed  as  a  condiment  by  the  Japanese  and  Chinese/' 
The  seeds  after  being  crushed  in  a  mortar  were  distilled  with 
water.    The  distillate  consisted  of  water,  containing  a  mixture 
of  an  oil  and  a  crystalline  solid  body  (Xanthoxylin)  floating  on 
its  surface. 
The  oil  and  stearopten,  having  been  removed  from  the  water, 
was  strongly  cooled  when  the  greater  portion  of  the  stearopten 
crystallized  out,  and  was  separated  from  the  oil  by  filtration. 
The  Oil. — When  the  oil  was  submitted  to  fractional  crystal- 
lization, the  greater  portion  came  over  about  130°  C,  and  was 
found  to  be  free  from  stearopten.  The  portion  remaining  in 
the  retort  was  transferred  to  a  beaker,  loosely  covered  by  a  piece 
of  filter  paper,  and  allowed  to  stand  for  several  weeks,  when  a 
quantity  of  stearopten  deposited.  The  crude  oil  boiling  at  130° 
C,  was  well  shaken  and  allowed  to  stand  in  contact  with  fused 
chloride  of  calcium  to  remove  adhering  moisture,  then  distilled 
off  caustic  potash,  and  afterwards  rendered  quite  pure  by  being 
rectified  off  sodium  and  a  small  quantity  of  potassium. 
The  oil  after  having  been  purified  in  the  manner  above  de- 
tailed had  a  constant  boiling  point  of  162°  C. 
When  burnt  with  oxide  of  copper  in  the  gas  furnace : 
I.  0.192  grms.  of  oil  gave  0.198  grms.  of  water,  and  0.62 
grms.  of  carbonic  acid. 
II.  0.191  grms.  of  oil  gave  0.199  grms.  of  water,  and  0.628 
grms.  of  carbonic  acid. 
THEORY, 
EXPERIMENT, 
i. 
H. 
Cio  =  60  —  88.23 
Hs  =    8  —  11.77 
88.00 
11,45 
88.02 
11.62 
68  100.00 
