The Art of Perfumery, and Methods of Obtaining the Odors of Plants Part 33

Some years since, Strecker has shown that styrone, which is obtained when styracine is treated with potash, is the alcohol of cinnamic acid.

Wolff has converted this alcohol by oxidizing agents into cinnamic acid.

The author has now proved that under the same conditions by which ordinary alcohol affords aldehyde, styrone affords the aldehyde of cinnamic acid, that is, oil of cinnamon. It is only necessary to moisten platinum black with styrone, and let it remain in the air some days, when by means of the bisulphite of potash the aldehyde double compound may be obtained in crystals, which should be washed in ether. By the addition of diluted sulphuric acid, the aldehyde of cinnamic acid is afterwards procured pure. These crystals also dissolve in nitric acid, and then form after a few moments crystals of the nitrate of the hyduret of cinnamyle. The conversion of styrone into the hyduret of cinnamyle by the action of the platinum black is shown by the following equation:

C_{18}H_{10}O_{2} + 2 O = C_{18}H_{8}O_{2} + 2 HO.--_Comptes Rendus._

DETECTION OF SPIKE OIL AND TURPENTINE IN LAVENDER OIL

BY DR. J. GASTELL.

There are two kinds of lavender oil known in commerce; one, which is very dear, and is obtained from the flowers of the _Lavandula vera_; the other is much cheaper, and is prepared from the flowers of the _Lavandula spica_. The latter is generally termed oil of spike. In the south of France, whether the oil be distilled from the flowers of the _Lavandula vera_ or _Lavandula spica_, it is named oil of lavender.

By the distillation of the whole plant or only the stalk and the leaves, a small quant.i.ty of oil is obtained, which is rich in camphor, and is there called oil of spike. Pure oil of lavender should have a specific gravity from .876 to .880, and be completely soluble in five parts of alcohol of a specific gravity of .894. A greater specific gravity shows that it is mixed with oil of spike; and a less solubility, that it contains oil of turpentine.

DIFFERENT ORANGE-FLOWER WATERS FOUND IN COMMERCE

BY M. LEGUAY.

There are three sorts of orange-flower waters found in commerce. The first is distilled from the flowers; the second is made with distilled water and neroli; and the third is distilled from the leaves, the stems, and the young unripe fruit of the orange tree. The first may be easily distinguished by the addition of a few drops of sulphuric acid to some of the water in a tube; a fine rose color is almost immediately produced. The second also gives the same color when it is freshly prepared; but after a certain time, two or three months at the farthest, this color is no longer produced, and the aroma disappears completely.

The third is not discolored by the addition of the sulphuric acid; it has scarcely any odor, and that rather an odor of the lemon plant than of orange-flowers.--_Bulletin de la Societe Pharmaceutique d'Indre et Loire._

A FORMULA FOR CONCENTRATED ELDER-FLOWER WATER.

Krembs recommends the following process for making a concentrated elder-flower water, from which he states the ordinary water can be extemporaneously prepared, of excellent quality, and of uniform strength:--2 lbs. of the flowers are to be distilled with water until that which pa.s.ses into the receiver has lost nearly all perfume. This will generally happen when from 15 to 18 pounds have pa.s.sed over. To the distillate, 2 lbs. of alcohol are to be added, and the mixture distilled until about 5 lbs. are collected. This liquor contains all the odor of the flowers. To make the ordinary water, 2 ounces of the concentrated water are to be added to 10 ounces of distilled water.--_Buchner's Report._

PRACTICAL REMARKS ON SPIRIT OF WINE.

BY THOMAS ARNALL.

The strength of spirit of wine is, by law, regulated by proof spirit (sp. gr. .920) as a standard; and accordingly as it is either stronger or weaker than the above, it is called so much per cent. above or below proof. The term _per cent._ is used in this instance in a rather peculiar sense. Thus, spirit of wine at 56 per cent. overproof, signifies that 100 gallons of it are equal to 156 gallons of proof spirit; while a spirit at 20 per cent. underproof, signifies that 100 gallons are equal to 80 gallons at proof. The rectified spirit of the Pharmacopoeia is 56 per cent. overproof, and may be reduced to proof by strictly adhering to the directions there given, viz., to mix five measures with three of water. The result, however, will not be eight measures of proof spirit; in consequence of the _contraction_ which ensues, there will be a deficiency of about [Symbol: oz.]iv in each gallon. This must be borne in mind in preparing tinctures.

During a long series of experiments on the preparation of ethers, it appeared a desideratum to find a ready method of ascertaining how much spirit of any density would be equal to one chemical equivalent of absolute alcohol. By a modification of a rule employed by the Excise, this question may be easily solved. The Excise rule is as follows:--

To reduce from any given strength to any required strength, _add_ the _overproof_ per centage _to_ 100, or _subtract_ the _underproof_ per centage _from_ 100. Multiply the result by the quant.i.ty of spirit, and divide the product by the number obtained by _adding_ the _required_ per centage overproof, or _subtracting_ the _required_ per centage underproof, to or from 100, as the case may be. The result will give the measure of the spirit at the strength required.

Thus, suppose you wished to reduce 10 gallons of spirit, at 54 overproof, down to proof, add 54 to 100 = 154; multiply by the quant.i.ty, 10 gallons (154 10) = 1540. The required strength being proof, of course there is nothing either to add to or take from 100; therefore, 1540 divided by 100 = 15.4 gallons at proof; showing that 10 gallons must be made to measure 15 gallons, 3 pints, 4 fl. oz., by the addition of water.

To ascertain what quant.i.ty of spirit of any given strength will contain one equivalent of absolute alcohol. Add the overproof per centage of the given spirit to 100, as before; and with the number thus obtained divide 4062.183. The result gives in gallons the quant.i.ty equal to four equivalents (46 4).

_Example._--How much spirit at 54 per cent. overproof is equal to 1 equivalent of absolute alcohol?

Here,

54 + 100 = 154 and 4062.183 = 26.3778 galls., or 26 galls. 3 pts.

-------- 154

which, divided by 4, gives 6 gallons, 4 pints, 15 oz.

Suppose the spirit to be 60 overproof,--

4062.183 {one-fourth of which is equal then ---------- = 25.388 gallons, {to 6 gallons, 2 pints, (100 + 60) {15-1/2 oz.

This rule is founded on the following data. As a gallon of water weighs 10 lbs., it is obvious that the specific gravity of any liquid multiplied by 10 will give the weight of one gallon. The specific gravity of absolute alcohol is 0.793811; hence, the weight of one gallon will be 7.93811 lbs., and its strength is estimated at 75.25 overproof.

4 equivalents of alcohol = 46 4 = 184,

and

23.17936 gallons 7.93811 lbs. per gallon, also = 184.0003094.

Hence it appears that 23.17936 gallons of absolute alcohol are equal to 4 equivalents. By adding the overproof per centage (75.25) to 100, and multiplying by the quant.i.ty (23.17936 gallons) we get the constant number 4062.183.

The rule might have been calculated so as to show _at once_ the equivalent, without dividing by 4; but it would have required several more places of decimals; it will give the required quant.i.ty to a fraction of a fluid drachm.

PURIFICATION OF SPIRITS BY FILTRATION.

BY MR. W. SCHAEFFER.

Instead of resorting to repeated distillations for effecting the purification of spirits, Mr. Schaeffer proposes the use of a filter. In a suitable vessel, the form of which is not material, a filtering bed is constructed in the following manner:--On a false perforated bottom, covered with woollen or other fabric, a layer of about six inches of well-washed and very clean river sand is placed; next about twelve inches of granular charcoal, preferring that made from birch; on the charcoal is placed a layer of about one inch of wheat, boiled to such an extent as to cause it to swell as large as possible, and so that it will readily crush between the fingers. Above this is laid about ten inches of charcoal, then about one inch of broken oyster sh.e.l.ls, and then about two inches more of charcoal, over which is placed a layer of woollen or other fabric, and over it a perforated part.i.tion, on to which the spirit to be filtered is poured; the filter is kept covered, and in order that the spirit may flow freely into the compartment of the filter below the filtering materials, a tube connects such lower compartment with the upper compartment of the filter, so that the air may pa.s.s freely between the lower and upper compartments of the filter. On each, of the several strata above described, it is desirable to place a layer of filtering paper.

The charcoal suitable for the above purpose is not such as is obtained in the ordinary mode of preparation. It is placed in a retort or oven, and heated to a red heat until the blue flame has pa.s.sed off, and the flame become red. The charcoal is then cooled in water, in which carbonate of potash has previously been dissolved, in the proportion of two ounces of carbonate to fifty gallons of water. The charcoal being deprived of the water is then reduced to a granular state, in which condition it is ready for use.

ON ESSENTIAL OIL OR OTTO OF LEMONS.

BY JOHN S. COBB.

(_Read before the Chemical Discussion Society._)

I have recently made some experiments with oil of lemons, of which the following is a short account:--

Being constantly annoyed by the deposit and alteration in my essence of lemons, I have tried various methods of remedying the inconvenience.