Turpentine-oil.—A volatile oil pervades all parts of the numerous species of Pines (see Timber), and is mostly obtained from the resinous exudations (see Resinous Substances) by dry or aqueous distillation. The commercial oils are commonly distinguished as :—" French," from P. maritima and P. Pinaster ; " Garman," from P. sylvestris, Abies pectinata, and A. excelsa; "Venetian," from Larix europcsa ; and "English," from P. Tceda and P. australis. They are thin, colourless, with strong specific odour and flavour, ap. gr. 0.850-0.880, boil at (302°-320° F.), scarcely soluble in water, sparingly in alcohol, readily in ether.
Fatty oils from Pinus spp. are described on p. 1408.
Valerian-oil.--By aqueous distillation, the root of Valerian officinalis (see Drugs, p. 826) gives a thin, neutral, yellowish oil, with an odour of the dried root, ap. gr. readily soluble in alcohol.
Wintergreen-oil.—All parts of Gaultheria procumbens, a little creeping plant of N. United States and Canada, possess a pleasant aromatic odour and flavour, due to the presence of an essential oil. The leaves are submitted to aqueous distillation in a copper vessel (tin-plate is better, and wood probably would be found even more satisfactory), the water being used repeatedly. The yield is about 0'66-0'80 per cent. According to the latest returns, 828 lb. of this oil was distilled in the United States. It is pale-green, of the same composition as birch-bark-oil (see p. 1417), sp. gr. and is employed medicinally. It is sometimes adulterated with sassafras-oil and chloroform in large proportion.
In Java, G. punctata and G. leucocarpa are abundant on the tops of many of the volcanoes, and their leaves yield oils acarcely distinguishable from the Canadian wintergreen-oil : the proportion from the former is 340 grm. of oil from 59 lb. of fresh leaves, or about per cent. ; and from the latter, 40 grm. from 65 lb., or 0.012 per cent.
Andromeda Leschenaultii, common hill-plant in Ceylon ; oil closely resembling Canadian winter green, hut containing less of the peculiar hydrocarbon oil found in the Canadian product, and therefore superior, but the commercial demand would hardly repay its preparation.
Wormseed- and Wormwood-oils.—The flowers of Artemisia Cana and A. Lippii, by aqueous distillation, yield a colourless or yellowish oil, with an odour of the drug, an acrid, burning, aromatic flavour, ap. gr. 0.925-0-945, boiling at 175° (347° F) after rectification. The leaves and flowers of A. Absinthium, by aqueous distillation, give a dark-green oil, with odour and flavour of the plant, ap. gr. 0.973, boiling at 205° (401° F.), and readily soluble in alcohol. The United States produced 170 lb. of this oil, according to the latest returns.
Other Artemisia-oils are described under Mugwort and Tarragon (pp. 1424, 1431); see also Drugs—Wormseed, p. 826.
Bliscellaneous.—The following plants have been ascertained to afford volatile oils, exhibiting the properties Aristolochkt Berpentaria, root : light-brown ; with odour and flavour of valerian and camphor. Arnica montana (see Drugs, p. 793), flowers and root : former blue or brownish-green, latter brownish-yellow.
Asarum europceum, root : thickish ; yellowish ; valerian-like odour ; burning acrid flavour. Bachhousia citriodora : in forest tracts of S. Queensland; the lemon-scented leaves deserve dis
tillation.
Bursera gummifera, resin (see Resinous Substances—Gomart): resembles turpentine-oil.
Carapa guianensis (see Crab-oil, p. 1386) : unctuous ; colourless ; very bitter flavour ; solid at 4° (39° F.).
Chenopodium ambrosioides, herb : pale- to greenish-yellow, colourless when rectified; very thin ; great light-refracting power ; strong odour of the herb ; aromatic peppermint-like flavour ; ap. gr. 0.902 ; boils at (354°-358° F.); readily soluble in alcohol.
Cochlearia officinal i s, C. Danica, and C. Anglica, herb : ap. gr. ; with pungently acrid odour and flavour of the green herb in the highest degree.
Curcuma Tonga, root : thin; citron-yellow ; penetrating odour and hot flavour.
C. Zedoaria, tubers : pale-yellow ; turbid ; thick ; peculiar, fragrant, camphor-like odour ; bitter, hot, camphoraceoue flavour.
Dahlia purpurea, tubers : yellowish ; strong odour of the tubers ; sweetish, sub-acrid flavour ; becomes thick like butter.
Daucus Carota, root : peculiar, strong, penetrating odour ; similar, warming, disagreeable flavour ; ap. gr. 0-886.
Eriostemon squameum, leaves : pale-yellow ; similar but milder odour and flavour than rue. Hedwigia balsamifera, balsam : yellow ; pleasant turpentinous odour ; hot flavour.
Lycopus europceus, herb : greeu ; butter-like ; odour of the herb; acrid flavour.
Mercurialis annua, dried herb : thickish consistence.
Nigella sativa (see also p.1415), seeds : colourless, with bluish fluorescence ; mixed odour of fennel and bitter almonds.
Oenanthe Phellandrium, fruits : yellowish to brownish ; thin ; penetrating odour and flavour of the fruit; sp. gr. 0-852.
Osmitopsis asteriscoides, flowers : thin ; yellowish, rectified colourless ; penetrating odour of camphor and cajuput ; burning, rancid flavour ; readily soluble in alcohol; sp. gr. 0.921 ; boiling point, 178° (352i° F).
Pastinaca sativa, fruits : clear, colourless ; not unpleasant odour ; aromatic flavour ; sp. gr. 0.8672 at 17i° (63i° F.).
Peucedanum Oreoselinum and P. ostruthium, herb of former : strong, aromatic, juniper-like odour ; sp. gr. ; boiling-point, 163° (325i° F.). Root of latter : thin ; colourless to pale-yellow ; penetrating odour ; warm, camphoraceous flavour.
Philadelphus coronarius, flowers : by ether ; golden-yellow ; narcotic in quantity ; delightful odour when diffused.
Pittosporum undulatum, flowers : limpid ; colourless ; extremely agreeable jasmine-like odour ; disagreeably hot and bitter flavour.
Prostanthera Lasianthos, and P. rotundifolia, leaves : former, greenish-yellow ; mint-like odour and flavour ; sp. gr. 0'912. Latter, of darker colour ; and 0'941 ap. gr.
Ravenala sp., of Madagascar, and R. amazonica, in Guiana : blue pulpy aril surrounding the seeds.
Thuya occidentalis, the green parts : colourless to greenish-yellow ; oamphoraceous odour and flavour ; sp. gr. 0.925 ; boiling-point, 190°-197° (374°-386° F.) ; readily soluble in alcohol.
Tropcsolum majus, fruits : yellow ; peculiar, aromatic odour ; acrid, burning flavour ; inflames the skin more than mustard-oil ; contains sulphur ; boils at 120°-130° (248°-266° F.).
Zieria Smithii, leaves : pale-yellow ; odour and flavour of rue ; sp. gr.