632 
Oil  of  Limes. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Dec,  1884. 
those  of  most  animal  oils.  The  low  specific  gravity  of  the  substance, 
and  its  indifference  to  most  reagents  remind  one  strongly  of  the  par- 
affins, and  now  that  petroleum  and  petroleum  oil  are  recognized  to  have 
a  positive  influence  in  tuberculous  complaints  we  shall  not  be  surprised 
if  we  find  that  eulachon  oil  owes  any  therapeutic  power  it  may  be 
found  to  possess  to  this  peculiar  body. 
Cod-liver  oil,  it  is  true,  does  not  contain  anything  corresponding 
with  this  substance,  or  if  it  does  the  quantity  must  be  very  small. 
Cod-liver  oil  contains  about  80  per  cent,  oleic  acid,  8  or  9  per  cent,  of 
palmitic  and  stearic  acids,  and  only  1*82  per  cent.  (Allen)  of  unsaponi- 
fiable  matter,  a  considerable  proportion  of  which  is  cholesterin. — 
Therapeutic  Gazette,  September  15,  1884. 
BRIEF  NOTE  ON  OIL  OF  LIMES. 
By  Francis  Watts,  F.C.S. 
The  recent  notes  on  oil  of  limes  in  the  Journal  of  the  Pharmaceu- 
tical Society  appeared  to  indicate  that  the  distinguishing  characters 
between  hand  made  and  distilled  oil  of  limes  were  not  very  generally 
known.    The  following  memoranda  will  perhaps  prove  of  interest. 
Ecuelled  or  hand  made  oil  is  of  a  decidedly  yellow  color,  varying 
in  intensity,  being  darker  in  new  specimens.  The  specific  gravity 
also  varies,  being  higher  in  newer  samples ;  the  mean  specific  gravity 
of  seven  samples,  all  under  twelve  months  old,  being  -8734.  The 
following  table  gives  a  number  of  carefully  determined  specific 
gravities  of  various  samples,  all  fairly  new. 
Temperature  =  29°  C.  (84°  F.) 
Water  at  4°  C.  =  TOOOO. 
Age. 
Sp.  gr. 
Age. 
Sp.  gr. 
•8755 
•8750 
•8737 
•8732 
•8726 
•8722 
•8719 
•8709 
•8704 
•8554 
Ecuelled  oil  may  be  regarded  as  an  almost  saturated  solution  of 
citropten,  or  lime  camphor,  and  this  may  be  made  a  means  of  distinction. 
