176 
A  TEST  FOR  ALCOHOL. 
ON  THE  ESSENCE  OF  SASSAFRAS. 
MM.  Grimaux  and  Ruotte  have  made  an  investigation  into 
the  chemical  constitution  of  the  oil  of  sassafras.  This  oil  is 
colorless  when  first  rectified,  and  becomes  yellow  by  exposure  to 
air  and  light.  Its  density  at  zero  is  1-0815.  It  rotates  the 
plane  of  polarization  to  the  right.  It  is  a  mixture  of  a  dextro- 
gyre  hydrocarbon  and  an  inactive  oxygenized  principle.  It  also 
contains  a  very  small  proportion  of  a  body  which  appears  to  be 
a  phenol,  and  has  the  power  of  reducing  nitrate  of  silver  at  the 
boiling-point.  This  body  is  separated  from  the  essence  by  agi- 
tation with  solution  of  potash.  It  may  be  reprecipitated  by  hy- 
drochloric acid  in  oily  drops,  presenting  a  strong  odor  of  eugenic 
acid,  and  assuming  a  bright  green  color  with  ferric  chloride. 
The  hydrocarbon  safi"rene  contains  C10H16.  It  boils  between 
155°  and  157°  C. ;  and  possesses  a  density  of  0-8345  at  zero. 
Nine-tenths  of  the  essence  distil  over  between  230°  and  236°; 
this  portion  is  the  oxygenated  principle  safrol,  CioKio02-  This 
body  has  not  a  rigorously  constant  boiling-point,  because  it  re- 
sinifies  slightly  by  the  action  of  a  high  temperature.  Safrol  has  a 
density  of  1*1141  at  zero,  and  remains  liquid  at  — 20°.  It  does 
not  combine  with  the  bisulphites.  By  the  action  of  an  excess  of 
bromine  it  yields  a  solid  crystalline  pentabrominated  derivative, 
CioHsBr^Oa- — Wood,  F.C.S.,  in  Pharm.  Jour.,  London, 
Dec,  1869. 
A  TEST  FOR  ALCOHOL. 
M.  A.  Lieben  states  that  the  following  reaction  affords  the 
means  of  detecting  small  quantities  of  alcohol. 
A  small  quantity  of  the  suspected  liquor  is  introduced  into  a 
test-tube  with  some  grains  of  iodine  and  a  few  drops  of  caustic 
soda.  The  mixture  is  heated  slightly,  but  without  boiling;  if 
alcohol  is  present,  a  yellowish  crystalline  precipitate  of  iodoform 
is  deposited.  He  avers  that  ^o^ooth  of  alcohol  dissolved  in  water 
can  be  thus  detected. 
By  applying  this  test  to  the  examination  of  ether,  M.  Lieben 
has  found  that  it  is  very  difficult  to  remove  the  last  traces  of  al- 
cohol from  that  substance  by  washing  with  water.  To  avoid  so 
many  washings  he  thinks  it  better  to  submit  the  ether  to  an  oxi- 
