Am  Jour.  Pharm. 
June.  1903. 
Progress  in  Pharmacy. 
289 
niol  series  that  have  been  isolated  from  oils  of  neroli  and  petitgrain 
by  Van  Soden  and  Zeitschl  {Chem.  and  Drug.,  1903,  p.  472). 
Thymol. — Battandier  (according  to  an  abstract  in  the  S'uddeut. 
Apoth.  Zeit.,  1903,  p.  90)  has  found  an  oil  of  origanum  in  Algiers 
that  contains  a  large  proportion  of  thymol.  The  oil  is  obtained  from 
several  species  of  origanum,  0.  floribundum  Munby,  and  0.  cinereum 
Noe.  Shaken  with  alkalies,  the  oil  loses  a  fourth  of  its  bulk.  If  a 
crystal  of  thymol  is  added  to  the  oil,  a  compact  mass  separates  out, 
leaving  but  a  small  quantity  of  mother  liquor  consisting  largely  of 
carvacrol. 
Cod-liver  Oil. — The  tremendous  increase  in  the  price  of  this  oil 
will,  no  doubt,  lead  to  extensive  adulterations  with  cheaper  animal 
or  fish  oils,  for  which  Von  Wolff  {Phar.  Zeitg.,  1903,  page  235) 
advises  the  nitric-acid  test.  To  15  drops  of  the  suspected  cod-liver 
oil  add  3  drops  of  pure  nitric  acid ;  if  pure,  the  oil  will  show  a  red 
streak  at  point  of  contact  that  rapidly  changes  to  bright  red,  and 
later,  after  considerable  shaking,  to  lemon  yellow.  Seal  oil  does 
not  change  at  once,  but  on  standing  becomes  brown.  Other  fish 
oils  usually  give  a  blue  color,  changing  to  brown,  and,  after  pro- 
longed standing,  to  a  yellow  color.  The  writer  also  lays  much  stress 
on  the  iodine  and  saponification  numbers  of  the  oil. 
As  an  illustration  of  the  reason  for  the  great  rise  in  price  of  cod- 
liver  oil,  it  is  said  that  the  catch  for  March,  1902,  was  4,700,000 
cod,  while  for  the  same  period  in  1903  it  was  only  120,000. 
Iodized  Cod-liver  Oil. — The  Apotheker  Zeitung  (1903,  page  252, 
from  Bull,  de  Phar.  de  Lyon)  suggests  the  following:  Iodine,  100 
gramme;  chloroform,  2-00  grammes;  cod-liver  oil,  to  make  1,000-00 
grammes.  Dissolve  the  iodine  in  the  chloroform,  and  add  this  solu- 
tion to  the  cod-liver  oil. 
Aerated  fixed  oils  are  being  advertised  and  used  quite  exten- 
sively in  Germany.  Among  the  oils  that  are  offered  as  effervescent 
preparations,  are:  castor  oil,  cod-liver  oil,  olive  oil  and  phosphorated 
oil.  The  contained  carbonic  acid  gas  is  said  to  hide  the  taste  of  the 
oils  very  effectually,  and  at  the  same  time  to  add  materially  to  the 
keeping  qualities  of  the  different  oils. 
One  of  the  effervescing  castor  oils  is  said  to  contain  :  castor  oil, 
75-00  grammes;  expressed  oil  of  almonds,  20'00  grammes;  alcohol 
and  aromatics,  5-00  grammes;  mix  and  saturate  with  carbon  diox- 
ide gas,  under  pressure. 
