DISTILLED WATERS. 
217 
ART. XXXIII. — ON THE PREPARATION OF DISTILLED 
WATERS. By E. Soubeiran. 
Observation having shown that certain distilled waters made 
by exposing the plants to steam, were of a superior quality than 
if the plants were mixed with water and distilled in the usual 
way, I was anxious to ascertain if this was as generally the case 
as was supposed, and for this purpose made comparative trials 
of a number of plants by both modes of operating. I also ex- 
amined under what circumstances dried plants could be used 
instead of the fresh. 
With these views I took a certain quantity of each plant 
and divided it into four equal parts; two were distilled in the 
first state, one of them by vapour, the other in the ordinary 
manner; the two remaining parts were dried and then sub- 
jected to the two modes of distillation. I found, generally 
speaking, that the products of dried plants were evidently of 
inferior quality. 
For the sake of brevity, I shall indicate the relation of the 
plant to the product thus 1:1, this signifies that the weight 
of the distilled water obtained, equalled that of the plant used; 
1 : 2, that double the weight of product was obtained, &c; the 
first cipher always referring to the article acted upon and the 
second to the product. 
Wormwood, 1 : 2. The product was collected in two 
portions, each of which had a stratum of oil on the surface; 
the product by vapour was the best. 
Bitter almonds, 1 : 2. The powder should be macerated 
in cold water for twelve or fifteen hours before distillation, 
for by this means, as has been stated by M. Geiger, the pro- 
portion of oil obtained is much larger. 
Anise, (dry seeds.) 1 : 5. The fifth and last product was 
still oily, by both modes of operating; the product by steam 
the best. 
VOL. II. — NO. III. 28 
