AmjJuiy"i9JoLainJ-}         Aniseed  Oils,  and  Anethol.  359 
Oils  Nos.  I  and  2  have  undoubtedly  been  tampered  with.  The 
disturbed  optical  rotation  of  No.  1  is  probably  due  to  added  oil  of 
fennel,  or  some  of  its  derivatives.  What  the  disturbing  factor  of 
No.  2  is,  the  authors  are  unable  to  conjecture.  No.  8  is  also  abnor- 
mal, due  probably  to  the  same  added  impurities  as  No.  i,or  possi- 
bly added  star  anise  leaf  oil,  which  has  a  specific  gravity  of  0-9878 
at  1 50  C.  and  an  optical  rotation  of  -\-  i°.  The  anethol  content  of 
star  anise  leaf  oil  is  small,  and  the  congealing  point  correspondingly 
low.  It  has  been  called  "  Liquid  star  anise  oil  "  and  has  no  practi- 
cal value,  except  as  an  adulterant. 
Oils  are  occasionally  met  with,  having  a  low  congealing  point, 
yet  are  not  adulterated.  These  are  the  "  Flower  Oils."  They  are 
obtained  from  a  mixture  of  natural  and  artificially  ripened  seeds  ; 
i.  e.,  the  branches  are  gathered  before  the  fruit  is  all  ripe  so  as  to 
hasten  the  ripening  of  the  green  seeds.  Such  oils  cannot  be  con- 
sidered equal  to  an  oil  made  entirely  from  prime  seed. 
ANETHOL. 
The  present  German  Pharmacopoeia  describes  anethol  as  a  color- 
less, highly  refractive  liquid,  of  a  pure  anise  odor,  and  of  intensely 
sweetish  taste;  specific  gravity  at  25 0  0.0-984  to  0-086;  melting 
point,  4-  200  to  -J-  210  C;  boiling  point  2320  to  2340  C.  and  must 
form  a  clear  solution  with  two  parts  of  alcohol. 
Several  samples  examined  by  the  writers  yielded  : 
Specific  Gravity.         Optical  Congealing  Boiling 
Rotation.  Point.  Point. 
A  0-9895  at  20°  C.    inactive  170  C.  210-2350  C. 
B  0-9896  at  200  C.  —  i°  30'  +  200  C.  220-2350  C. 
C  1-0525  at  15°  C.  —  20  i8/  228-2450  C. 
D  0-9870  at  200  C.  +  50  22/  +  200  C.  229-236°  C. 
E  •  •   0-9847  at  200  C.    inactive  +  190  C        210-235°  C. 
All  are  soluble  in  an  equal  volume  of  alcohol.  A,  B  and  E  are 
of  fair  quality  and  comply  fairly  well  with  the  above  requirements, 
but  anethol  is  generally  considered  optically  inactive.  C  and  D  were 
labeled  liquid  anethol.  We  are  informed  that  this  is  a  redistilled 
oil  of  anise,  prepared  from  the  regular  anise  oil  of  the  market.  Liquid 
anethol  is  therefore  a  misnomer.  It  is  desirable  here  to  remark  that 
C  was  an  old  sample  and  its  original  physical  properties  may  have 
changed.    D  appears  to  be  "anethol  "  derived  from  oil  of  fennel. 
Laboratory  of  Smith,  Kline  &  French  Co. 
