Laboratory  Notes. 
( Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
I    January,  1895. 
From  these  data  I  was  convinced  that  the  above  samples  repre- 
sented natural  products. 
PYROGALLIC  ACID. 
Three  well-known  brands  of  pyrogallic  acid  gave  me  the  follow- 
ing melting-points:  A,  116—  u8°C;  B,  ii6°C;  C,  1 170  C. 
After  applying  the  ferric  chloride,  ferric  acetate,  lime  water  and  pine 
wood  moistened  with  hydrochloric  acid  tests  I  was  unable  to  make 
a  definite  decision  as  regards  the  purity  of  the  products.  Recent 
authorities  inform  us  that  pyrogallic  acid  melts  at  1 3 1 0  C,  while 
catechol  melts  at  m°C.  Judging  from  the  melting  points  it  is 
quite  probable  that  the  samples  were  mixtures  of  pyrogallic  acid 
and  catechol. 
LIGHT  OIL  OF  WINE. 
It  seems  almost  inconceivable  to  what  depths  the  finite  mind 
will  stoop  deliberately  to  defraud  his  fellow  man  for  a  little  pecu- 
niary gain.  I  was  forcibly  convinced  of  this  while  examining 
a  number  of  samples  of  light  oil  of  wine.  The  price  varied  from 
80  cents  to  $4.50.  The  following  table  contains  the  results  of  the 
examination  : 
Sample. 
Sp.  Gr.  at 
15°  C. 
B.  P. 
Reaction. 
Color. 
Odor. 
1 
2 
3 
4 
0-819 
0-850 
0-828 
0-864 
90-!35 
70-141 
50-154 
76-135 
Neutral 
Acid 
Neutral 
Acid 
Yellowish 
Colorless 
Yellowish 
Colorless 
Fusel  Oil 
Ethereal 
Ethereal 
Ethereal 
Number  one  was  unadulterated  fusel  oil.  Numbers  two  and  four 
were  mixtures  of  ether,  alcohol  and  small  quantities  of  heavy  oil  of 
wine.  Number  three  was,  approximately,  a  mixture  of  equal  parts 
of  commercial  ether  and  heavy  oil  of  wine. 
OIL  OF  SASSAFRAS. 
Oil  of  sassafras  begins  to  boil1  at  1 1  5 02  and  gradually  rises  to 
2350  C.  Specific  gravity  from  1-070  to  1  0800  at  I50  C.  Equal 
parts  of  the  oil  and  nitric  acid  produce  a  violent  reaction  with  a  red 
1  Ladenburg's  Handworterbuch  der  Chemie,  8,  320. 
2  Probably  a  little  low. 
