NEW  FALSIFICATION  OF  OIL  OF  BITTER  ALMONDS.  545 
tween  \  and  %  of  that  of  the  true  oil,  render  it  valuable  as  a 
substitute  for  the  same  in  the  manufacture  of  perfumery,  and 
probably  for  other  purposes  ;  and  in  view  of  these  facts,  it  is  to 
be  wondered  at  that  the  oil  of  bitter  almonds  has  not  been  largely 
adulterated  with  this  body,  which  will  not  diminish  its  odor,  in- 
stead of  alcohol,  with  which  it  is  very  often  found  sophisticated. 
It  is,  however,  possible  that  such  a  practice  has  been  going  on 
to  some  extent  without  any  of  the  consumers  having  become 
aware  of  it ;  at  least,  I  do  not  recollect  of  having  met  with  such 
a  statement  in  any  of  the  pharmaceutical  journals.  I  happened 
perchance  to  witness  such  a  falsification,  seeing  a  wholesale  drug- 
gist mix  the  two  articles  by  equal  weight,  and  it  has  been  my 
endeavor  to  find  out  an  easy  and  practicable  way  for  the  ready 
detection  of  such  an  admixture.  In  the  following  I  offer  such  a 
test : 
Oil  of  bitter  almonds,  C14  H6  02,  is,  according  to  Liebig  and 
Woehler,  converted  into  benzoate  of  potassa  by  the  action  of 
caustic  potassa  in  alcohol,  by  which,  according  to  Cannizaro, 
also,  benzalcohol  is  formed,  a  liquid  heavier  than  water  and  in- 
soluble in  it,  but  soluble  in  all  proportions  in  ether,  alcohol  and 
acetic  acid.  This  decomposition  seems  to  take  place  after  this 
manner : 
2  (0^  HJ^+KO,  HO=KO,  C14  H5  03+C14  H6,  H^O, 
Oil  of  bitter  almonds.  Benzoate  of  potassa.  Benzalcohol. 
Nitrobenzole,  when  treated  in  the  same  way,  undergoes  a  de- 
composition of  quite  a  different  nature  ;  it  parts  with  three  equiv. 
of  oxygen,  which  are  supposed  to  combine  with  a  part  of  alcohol 
to  aldehyd,  which  under  the  influence  of  caustic  potassa  is  again 
changed  into  a  dark  brown  resin.  The  newly  formed  body 
C12  H5  NO,  or  probably  C24  H10  N2  02,  can  be  obtained  in  yel- 
low crystals,  is  insoluble  in  water,  soluble  in  alcohol  and  ether ; 
it  is  the  azoxybenzid  of  Zinin.  The  insolubility  of  this  body  in 
water,  and  the  ready  solubility  of  benzoate  of  potassa  in  the 
same  menstruum,  suggested  to  me  the  idea  of  employing  caustic 
potassa  as  a  test  for  nitrobenzole  in  oil  of  bitter  almonds,  and 
thus  far  it  appears  to  be  admirably  adapted  for  this  purpose. 
About  \  drachm  of  the  suspected  oil  is  dissolved  in  two  or 
three  drachms  of  alcohol,  15  grains  of  fused  pure  caustic  potassa 
added,  the  mixture  heated  for  a  few  minutes  to  dissolve  the 
