'^'^sllZ'^^''"''}    Essential  Oils  of  Bay,  Pimenta  and  Cloves.  441 
By  dissolving  the  water  extract  in  distilled  water,  rendering  the  so- 
lution alkaline,  and  agitating  with  ether,  Fischer  obtained  a  principle, 
grindeline,  which  had  an  alkaline  reaction  and  neutralized  acids,  the 
sulphate  crystallizing  in  groups  of  acicular  prisms  ;  it  is  described  as 
being  bitter,  soluble  in  ether,  alcohol  and  water,  and  precipitated  by 
tannin,  potassio-mercuric  iodide,  picric  acid,  potassium  bichromate, 
iodine,  and  the  chlorides  of  gold  and  platinum.  Alkalinity  excepted, 
these  properties  agree  with  those  of  the  yellow  sticky  mass  obtained 
by  Mr.  Clark  from  the  alcohol-extract  by  a  process  similar  to  the  fore- 
going.   
l^OTES  ON  THE  ESSENTIAL  OILS  OF  BAY,  PIMENTA 
AND  CLOVES. 
By  Geo.  M.  Beringer,  A.  M.,  Ph.  G. 
The  U.  S.  Pharmacopoeia  describes  oil  of  myrcia  as  "  a  brownish 
or  dark  brown  liquid  of  an  aromatic,  somewhat  clove-like  odor,  a 
pungent,  spicy  taste,  and  a  slightly  acid  reaction.  Sp.  gr.  about  1.040, 
soluble  in  an  equal  weight  of  alcohol.  With  an  equal  volume  of  a 
concentrated  solution  of  potassa  it  forms  a  semi-solid  mass.^' 
This  description  is  incorrect  in  at  least  one  important  point,  namely, 
the  specific  gravity  stated,  and  misleading,  if  not  absolutely  erroneous 
in  its  statement  regarding  the  solubility.  These  errors  have  been 
copied  into  the  dispensatories  and  various  text  books  without  comment 
or  correction. 
The  usual  adulterants  for  this  oil  are  the  oils  of  cloves,  pimenta  and 
copaiba.  The  detection  of  these  by  color  reactions  or  other  chemical 
tests  is  difficult.  The  odor,  specific  gravity  and  solubility  are  the 
most  important  characteristics  for  recognizing  adulteration,  and  so  it 
is  of  the  greatest  importance,  that  our  Pharmacopoeia  should  be  correct 
in  these  statements. 
In  the  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy,  (1887,  page  286),  the 
writer  called  attention  to  the  fact  that  two  samples  of  oil  of  bay 
examined,  showed  a  sp  gr.  of  0*975  and  0-9945.  Kecently  Messrs. 
Dodge  &  Olcott  have  called  attention  to  this  error  (Drug.  Circ,  July, 
1888),  stating  as  the  result  of  their  extended  experience  in  distilling 
this  oil,  that  the  correct  sp.  gr.  is  near  0  965  at  60°  F. 
The  authority  for  the  pharmacopceial  statement  the  writer  has  been 
unable  to  discover.    Prof.  Markoe  (Proc.  Amer.  Phar.  Assoc.,  1877) 
