Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Nov.,  1886. 
American  Musk. 
551 
terest  to  determine  whether  the  odorous  principle  resided  in  this  or 
the  tissues.  Some  portions  were  cut  up  and  macerated  several  days 
in  almond  oil  with  occasional  agitation,  and  on  filtering  it  was  found 
that  the  menstruum  had  taken  up  very  little,  if  any,  of  the  musk 
odor,  whilst  the  rancid  fatty  smell  was  distinctly  perceptible. 
Ether  dissolved  out  the  oil,  but  carried  with  it  some  coloring  mat- 
ter and  a  little  of  the  musk  odor.  A  further  quantity  of  250  grains 
was  cut  up,  laid  between  folds  of  stout,  bibulous  paper,  and  submitted 
to  hydraulic  pressure,  when  25  per  cent,  of  oil  was  readily  separated ; 
this,  however,  carried  with  it  some  brown  extractive  matter  which 
possessed  the  musk  odor,  and  it  was  evident  that  such  a  method  could 
not  be  adopted  in  practice  for  separating  the  oil.  It  was  subsequently 
found  that  bibulous  paper  with  slight  pressure  possessed  some  advan- 
tages, and  that  this  method  was  worth  adoption. 
Essence  prepared  with  the  use  of  calcium  hydrate,  as  in  the  before- 
named  formula,  was  partially  freed  from  rancidity,  but  possesssed  a 
peculiar  pungency  of  its  own,  which  seemed  undesirable,  and  it  readily 
became  turbid,  requiring  to  be  filtered  over  and  over  again.  In  another 
experiment  a  little  liquid  ammonia  was  substituted  for  calcium  hy- 
drate, and  that  with  decided  advantage. 
The  sample  marked  "  Essence  two  years  old  "  was  so  prepared.  In 
another  bottle  this  essence  is  mixed  with  an  equal  quantity  of  lavender 
water,  so  that  an  opinion  may  be  formed  as  to  how  far  it  is  possible 
to  use  it  in  perfumery.  It  was  found  that  if  a  small  quantity  only 
of  ether  were  poured  on  the  pods  and  poured  off  almost  immediately, 
little  of  the  musk  odor  was  removed,  and  the  pods  were  more  readily 
acted  on  by  the  spirit  with  which  they  were  subsequently  treated ; 
and  further,  that  weak  spirit  dissolved  less  of  the  oil  than  strong 
spirit,  but  when  rendered  alkaline  it  took  up  quite  as  much  of  the 
musk  odor.  Reasoning  on  these  and  other  facts,  the  following  formula 
was  deduced,  and  is,  I  believe,  the  most  suitable  for  dealing  with  a 
somewhat  unsatisfactory  article. 
Take  4  ounces  of  the  pods,  cut  small  and  press  gently  between  sev- 
eral folds  of  bibulous  paper,  wash  lightly  with  about  2  ounces  of 
methylated  ether,  pour  off  and  allow  the  remaining  ether  to  evaporate 
by  a  short  exposure  to  the  air ;  put  into  a  wide-mouthed  bottle  with 
15  ounces  rectified  spirit,  5  ounces  distilled  water,  20  minims  liquid 
ammonia  and  J  ounce  powdered  animal  charcoal ;  allow  all  to  stand 
with  occasional  agitation  for  one  month,  and  filter  through  magnesia. 
