Am'jJu°nUe?iS!arm'}  Notes  on  Essential  Oils.  301 
of  oil  are  heated  to  boiling  in  a  distillation  flask  and  the  first  10-12  drops  of  the 
distillate  caught  in  a  5  per  cent,  alcoholic  potash  solution.1  The  liquid  is  heated 
for  a  time  under  a  return  condenser,  then  the  alcohol  is  volatilized,  the  residue 
treated  with  water  and  the  oily  constituents  (benzyl  alcohol,  etc.)  shaken  out 
with  ether.  The  aqueous  liquid  is  warmed,  acidified  with  HN03,  filtered  when 
perfectly  cooled  from  the  separated  benzoic  acid,  and  the  filtrate -tested  for 
chlorine. 
A  sample  of  the  01.  amygd:  ver.,  chlorine  containing,  obtained  from  B-  Merck, 
showed  on  application  of  the  combustion  method  a  strong  chlorine  reaction. 
Special  testing,  in  the  manner  described  above,  showed  that  both  organic  chlo- 
rides and  the  chlorine  substitution  products  named  were  present.  Thereby 
indubitable  proof  is  afforded  that  artificial  benzaldehyde  from  toluol  is  con- 
tained in  it,  for  no  one  will  seriously  assert  that  the  chlorine  compounds  named 
will  originate  in  the  distillation  of  almonds  or  kernels. 
Angelica  Root  Oil. — The  pronounced  odor  of  phellandrene  in  the  oil  dis- 
tilled from  fresh  root  indicated  the  presence  of  this  hydrocarbon.  The  con- 
stituents boiling  at  1780  C.  were  fractionated  and  readily  gave,  with  nitrite  of 
sodium  and  glacial  acetic  acid,  large  quantities  of  a  solid  nitrite,  the  identity  of 
which  was  established  by  the  melting  point  of  the  recrystallized  substance. 
The  chloroformic  solution  of  the  nitrite  turned  the  ray  of  polarized  light  to  the 
left.  As  now  the  rotation  of  phellandrene  is  known  to  be  the  reverse  of  that 
of  the  nitrite  prepared  from  it,  the  hydrocarbon  contained  in  angelica  oil  is 
dextro-phellandrene.    Its  presence  was  also  detected  in  oil  of  the  seed. 
Anethol. — Anethol  is  characterized  by  the  following  properties  :  (1)  An 
exquisitely  fine  pure  anise  taste.  (2)  Perfect  colorlessness.  (3)  A  sp.  gr.  of 
0*985  at  250  C.  (4)  A  constant  boiling  point  at  2340  C.  (5)  A  melting  point 
between  210  and  220  C. 
Bergamot  Oil.  —  Pure  Bergamot  oil  may  be  regarded  as  a  rarity  in  commerce. 
The  most  usual  adulterants  are  lemon,  sweet  orange  and  turpentine  oils  ; 
sophistication  with  lemon  oil  is  just  now  the  special  order  of  the  day.  A 
machine  pressed  oil  is  especially  prepared  for  this  purpose  and  is  an  exceed- 
ingly dangerous  adulterant.  In  order  to  provide  means  of  detecting  these 
adulterants,  comparative  examinations  were  made  of  absolutely  pure  oils 
pressed  by  themselves,  commercial  oils  and  various  mixtures  prepared  from 
known  oils.  The  following  three  factors  are  stated  to  give  reliable  indications  : 
(1)  The  specific  gravity.  (2)  The  rotary  power.  (3)  The  solubility  in  spirits 
of  wine. 
For  bergamot  oil  these  factors  are  stated  to  be  sp.  gr.  o*88i*to  0*885  ;  rotatory 
power  (100  mm.)  -f  8°  30/  to  -j-  190  30'. 
For  orange  oil  sp.  gr.  0*849  to  °'855  ;  rotary  power  (100  mm.)  -f  970  2'  to 
97°  4'. 
For  lemon  oil  sp.  gr.  0*857  to  0*863  I  rotary  power  (100  mm.)  -f-  400  io/  to  -f 
620. 
Pure  bergamot  oils  form  clear  solutions  at  200  C.  with  ]/z  part  of  90  per  cent. 
1  Benzyl  chloride  boils  at  i76°C  .  Benzaldehyde  at  1790.  The  monochlor-benzaldehydes 
boil  between  21 20  and  2i5°C. 
*  The  United  States  Pharmacopoeia  gives  the  sp.  gr.  as  o'86o  to  0-890.  My  own  observations 
indicate  that  this  range  can  be  reduced  and  led  me  to  adopt  as  a  standard  o\8So.— G.  M.  B. 
