442 
Chemical  Notes. 
Am.  Jouv.  Ptaarm. 
Sept.,  1890. 
Chem.  GeselL,  1890,  1803)  found  oil  of  nutmeg,  obtained  from 
Schimmel  &  Co.  to  contain  only  terpenes.  The  oil  examined  was 
colorless,  specific  gravity  at  1 50  C.  =  o-86i  1 .  The  terpenes,  the 
oil  contains  several,  boil  at  about  500  C.  under  8  mm.  pressure. 
The  oil  of  mace  examined  was  yellow,  specific  gravity  at  140  C. 
=  0-9309  ;  neither  at  ordinary  temperature  nor  on  cooling  to —  io°  C. 
is  a  solid  deposited.  The  raw  oil  gives  an  emerald  green  color  with 
alcoholic  ferric  chloride.  Distillation  at  10  mm.  yielded  fractions: 
35-700,  53  per  cent.,  is  colorless,  gives  no  color  reaction  with  ferric 
chloride  and  its  specific  gravity  is  0  8601.  This  fraction  consists  of 
terpenes  like  those  of  oil  of  nutmeg.  Wallach  found  pinene  and  dipen- 
tene.  Fraction,  70-1 14°,  1 5  per  cent.,  contains  myristicol  and  a  small 
quantity  of  terpene,  is  colorless,  gives  no  color  reaction,  and  has  the 
specific  gravity  0  91 3 1  at  12°  C.  Fraction  remaining  in  the  flask  at 
1 1 40  C,  31  per  cent.,  partly  crystallizes  on  cooling,  is  dark  yellow, 
gives  the  color  reaction  with  ferric  chloride  and  has  the  specific  gravity 
1-0863  at  12°  C.  This  higher  boiling  fraction  was  furnished  the 
author  by  Schimmel  &  Co.,  and  was  further  examined  by  him. 
The  properties  were  the  same  as  those  noted  above.  It  is  soluble 
in  concentrated  sulphuric  acid  with  a  blood  red  color,  and  its  specific 
gravity  at  140  C.  was  1-1303.  On  distillation  the  first  drop  goes 
over  at  1240  C,  the  principal  portion  distilling  from  1480  to  1 5 8°  C. 
The  color  reaction  probably  being  due  to  a  phenol,  the  oil.  to 
separate  this,  was  treated  in  vacuum  with  sodium  while  cooling, 
and  when  the  reaction  has  subsided  the  liquid  must  be  warmed. 
Distillation  is  then  carried  on  at  10  mm.  pressure  when  the  oil  goes 
over  from  1420  to  1490  C.  On  cooling  the  oil  solidifies,  ferric 
chloride  yields  no  color  nor  has  sodium  any  effect.  The  specific 
gravity  at  25 0  C.  is  1-1501,  and  the  melting  point  30-25°  C. 
Analysis  and  vapor  density  determination  point  to  the  formula 
C12Hu03 ;  the  author  named  this  stearopten  myristicin,  which  is  not 
identical  with  the  body  formerly  known  under  that  name  and 
which  Fliickiger  found  to  be  myristic  acid.  Sodium  being  without 
affect,  the  myristicin  is  very  likely  an  ether. 
Balsam  of  Peru  has  given  excellent  results  to  Dr.  Jasinski  in  cases  of  local 
tuberculosis  of  the  bones  and  skin.  It  was  used  in  substance  or  in  alcoholic 
solution  as  a  dressing  and  as  injection  into  cavities. — Med.  News,  May  10, 
p.  511. 
