SOPHISTICATION  OF  RECTIFIED  OIL  OF  AMBER,  ETC.  147 
druggists.  The  fifth  sample  was  represented  to  me  as  a  genuine 
article  of  crude  oil  of  amber,  and  as  it  appeared  to  have  some 
of  the  properties  of  the  true  oil,  I  determined  to  prepare  from 
it  the  rectified  article. 
It  was  a  thick,  dark  colored  liquid,  with  an  empyreumatic 
tarry  odor,  partially  soluble  in  stronger  alcohol,  and  having  the 
sp.  gr.  1*045  at  60°  F.  I  subjected  sixteen  fluidounces  of  this 
commercial  crude  oil  in  a  glass  retort  to  distillation,  with  the 
requisite  quantity  of  water,  as  directed  by  the  U.  S.  P.  After 
distilling  over  nearly  all  the  water,  I  found  that  the  yield  of 
rectified  oil  was  not  quite  two  fluid  drachms,  although  the  mix- 
ture had  been  kept  at  a  constant  boiling  temperature.  This 
result  led  me  to  think  that  either  by  a  previous  distillation  it 
had  been  deprived  of  its  essential  oil,  or  that  it  was  an 
adulterated  article.  I  procured  2fibs.  av.  of  amber  ("  Succinum,") 
which  was  first  subjected  to  an  examination  and  found  to  be  a 
true  article. 
It  was  mixed  with  an  equal  weight  of  sand,  placed  in  an  iron 
retort,  and  subjected  to  heat.  Vapors  of  a  white  color  were 
abundantly  evolved,  which,  when  inhaled,  excited  coughing. 
These  vapors,  when  passed  through  water,  were  dissolved,  and 
the  solution,  after  concentration,  deposited  crystals  of  succinic 
acid.  The  oil  soon  came  over  quite  rapidly,  the  first  portion  of 
a  yellowish  color,  which  was  followed  by  a  thick,  dark  colored 
liquid ;  heat  was  continued  until  volatile  matter  ceased  to  pass 
over. 
From  twenty-nine  troyounces  of  the  resin  I  obtained 
twenty-one  fluidounces  of  crude  oil  of  a  very  dark  color, 
having  a  strong  succinic,  empyreumatic  odor,  and  the  sp.  gr. 
*985  at  60°  F.  Twenty  fluidounces  of  this  crude  oil  were 
mixed  with  seven  and  a- half  pints  of  water  placed  in  a  glass 
retort,  heat  applied  through  means  of  a  sand  bath,  and  distilled 
until  five  pints  of  the  water  with  the  oil  had  passed  over  into 
the  receiver.  I  would  here  remark  that,  to  maintain  the  mix- 
ture at  a  constant  boiling  temperature,  in  a  glass  ^distillatory 
vessel,  I  found  it  necessary  to  cover  the  head  and  neck  of  the 
retort  with  a  tin  hood,  thereby  retaining  the  heat.  When  this 
is  not  observed,  the  yield  of  the  volatile  oil  will  be  considerably 
