VARIETIES. 
77 
It  formerly  was  held  in  high  repute  as  a  medicine,  and  is  still  so  among 
Eastern  nations.  The  musk  from  Boutan,  Tonquin  and  Thibet,  is  most 
esteemed,  that  from  Bengal  is  inferior,  and  from  Russia  is  of  still  lower 
quality.  The  strength  and  the  quantity  produced  by  a  single  animal  varies 
with  the  season  of  the  year  and  the  age  of  the  animal.  A  single  musk  pod 
usually  contains  from  two  to  three  drachms  of  grain  musk.  Musk  is  im- 
ported into  England  from  China,  in  caddies  of  from  50  to  100  ounces  each. 
When  adulterated  witli  the  animal's  blood,  which  is  often  the  case,  it  forms 
into  lumps  or  clots  ;  it  is  sometimes  also  mixed'with  a  dark,  friable  earth. 
Those  pods  in  which  little  pieces  of  lead  are  discovered,  as  a  general  rule, 
yield  the  finest  quality  of  musk  :  upon  this  rule,  we  presume  that  the  best 
musk  is  the  most  worthy  of  adulteration.  Musk  is  remarkable  for  the  dif- 
fusiveness and  subtlety  of  its  scent;  everything  in  its  vicinity  soon  becomes 
affected  by  it,  and  long  retains  its  odor,  although  not  in  actual  contact 
with  it. 
It  is  a  fashion  of  the  present  day  for  people  to  say  that  <;  they  do  not 
like  musk,"  but,  nevertheless,  from  great  experience  in  one  of  the  largest 
manufacturing  perfumatories  in  Europe,  we  are  of  opinion  that  the  public 
taste  for  musk  is  as  great  as  any  perfumer  desires.  Those  substances  con- 
taining it  always  taking  the  preference  in  ready  sale — so  long  as  the  vendor 
takes  care  to  assure  his  customer  "  that  there  is  no  musk  in  it." 
The  perfumer  uses  musk  principally  in  the  scenting  of  soap,  sachet 
powder,  and  in  mixing  for  liquid  perfumery.  The  just  reputation  of  Paris's 
original  Windsor  soap  is  due,  in  the  main,  to  its  delightful  odor.  The  soap 
is,  doubtless,  of  the  finest  quality,  but  its  perfume  stamps  it  among  the  elite — 
its  fragrance  it  owes  to  musk. 
The  alkaline  reaction  of  soap  is  favorable  to  the  development  of  the 
odoriferous  principle  of  musk.  If,  however,  a  strong  solution  of  potass  be 
poured  on  to  grain  musk,  ammonia  is  developed  instead  of  the  true  musk 
smell. 
Extract  of  Musk. 
Grain  musk        ...         2  ounces, 
Rectified  spirit     ...         1  gallon. 
After  standing  for  one  month,  at  a  summer  temperature,  it  is  fit  to  draw 
off.    Such  an  extract  is  that  which  is  used  for  mixing  in  other  perfumes. 
That  extract  of  musk  which  is  prepared  for  retail  sale,  is  prepared  thus  : — 
EXTRAIT  DE  MUSC. 
Extract  of  musk  (as  above)        ...        1  pint. 
"         ambergris  ....        5  pint. 
"         rose  triple  £  pint. 
Mix  and  filter  ;  it  is  then  fit  for  bottling. 
This  preparation  is  sweeter  than  pure  extract  of  musk  made  according 
to  our  first  formula,  and  is  also  more  profitable  to  the  vendor.    It  will  be 
seen  hereafter  that  the  original  extract  of  musk  is  principally  used  for  a 
