Several times in the course of this work, extracts of the original plant
material in alcohol and in water were distilled under diminished
pressure for the purpose of concentrating the solutions. The distillate,
in every case, had an ethereal odor suggesting amyl formate in very
dilute solution, but was more fragrant. The distillate from a water
extract was examined. It was a clear liquid, a little darker than pure
water, was not poisonous, was neutral to litmus paper, gave no color
with ferric chloride, reduced ammoniacal silver nitrate, but not Fehling
solution, and gave a faint red color with dilute ammonium hydroxide and
with sodium carbonate.
A small quantity of a finely divided black precipitate separated out
from the water distillate on standing.
The substance with the fragrant odor was extracted by shaking the
distillate with ether and letting the ether evaporate spontaneously. A
very small quantity of a yellow solid was deposited on the sides of the
dish. This substance had a strong and persistent odor, so sweet as to be
almost nauseating. Not enough was obtained for examination or analysis.
This fragrant residue was difficultly soluble in water and the solution
reduced silver nitrate in ammonia. A steam distillate of the original
plant material had the same fragrant odor as the distillate from a water
extract.