Am.  Jour.  Pharm  f 
Aug.,  1879.  \ 
Oil  of  Geranium, 
395 
OIL  OF  GERANIUM. 
By  Dr.  Gintl. 
(Translated  from  "Ztschr.  d.  Allg.  Oest.  Apoth.  Ver.,"  June  10,  1879,  P-  a68>  bX' 
Louis  von  Cotzhausen,  Ph.G.) 
The  volatile  oils  appearing  in  the  market  as  oil  of  geranium  are  dis- 
tilled from  different  species  of  Andropogon  and  Pelargonium,  and  on, 
account  of  their  rose-like  odor  are  largely  used  as  a  cheap  substitute  for 
and  as  an  adulteration  of  oil  of  rose. 
Genuine  oil  of  geranium,  also  called  French  oil  of  geranium  or 
palma-rosae  oil,  is  distilled  with  water  from  the  leaves  and  flowers  of 
Pelargonium  radula,and  is  colorless,  or  occasionally  greenish,  yellowish 
or  brownish,  the  latter  being  most  esteemed.  It  boils  at  2160  to  220°C> 
congeals  at  i6°C,  has  a  pleasant  odor  similar  to  oil  of  rose,  and  rotates 
polarized  light  towards  the  right. 
The  so  called  Algerian  rose  oil  is  distilled  from  the  leaves  and  flowers 
of  Pelargonium  roseum,  Willd.,  and  P.  odoratissimum,  which  are  origi- 
nally indigenous  to  the  Orient,  but  are  now  cultivated  in  France  and 
other  countries.  It  greatly  resembles  French  oil  of  geranium,  but 
rotates  polarized  light  towards  the  left.  Both  oils  are  frequently  used 
for  adulterating  oil  of  rose,  and  are  themselves  adulterated  with  the  oils- 
of  certain  species  of  andropogon. 
Turkish  oil  of  Geranium  (ros£  roshe  oil,  oil  of  rose  geranium  or  ginger- 
grass  oil)  is  the  volatile  oil  of  Andropogon  pachnodes,  /r/«.,  nat.  ord„ 
Graminaceae,  indigenous  to  India,  Persia  and  Arabia.  It  is  a  yellowish,, 
thin  liquid,  having  a  pleasant  spicy  odor,  and  does  not  congeal  readily. 
It  is  said  to  be  distilled  at  Mekka,  and  enters  commerce  by  way  of 
Smyrna  and  Bombay. 
The  Palma-rosae  oil  contains  pelargonic  acid,  C9H1802,  a  colorless 
oily  liquid  which  solidifies  at  a  low  temperature,  melts  at  io°C,  boils 
at  26o°C.  and  belongs  to  the  fatty  acids.  It  also  contains  gernaniol,, 
C10H18O,  which  is  a  colorless  liquid,  isomeric  with  borneol,  has  a 
pleasant  rose-like  odor,  boils  at  232°C,  and  yields,  when  heated  with 
zinc  chloride,  geraniene,  C10H16,  in  the  shape  of  a  colorless  liquid,  boil- 
ing at  i63°C. 
Guibourt  distinguishes  oil  of  rose,  oil  of  geranium  and  rose  oil  by 
means  of  iodine,  nitrous  acid  and  sulphuric  acid.  Iodine  is  placed  in  a 
porcelain  dish  under  a  bell  glass,  and  around  it  watch-glasses  containing; 
