alcohol by
washing it with water, it gave amylsulphuric acid, which was identified
by the analysis of the salt of barytes.

1.2690 gram. of amylsulphate of barytes gave 0.5825 gram. of sulphate of
barytes. This corresponds to 45.82 per cent. of sulphate of barytes.

Amylsulphate of barytes, crystallized with two equivalents of water,
contains, according to the analysis of Cahours and Kekule, 45.95 per
cent. of sulphate of barytes. It is curious to find here a body, which,
on account of its noxious smell, is removed with great care from
spirituous liquors, to be applied under a different form for the purpose
of imparting to them a pleasant flavor.

I must needs here also mention the artificial oil of bitter almonds.
When Mitscherlich, in the year 1834, discovered the nitrobenzol, he
would not have dreamed that this product would be manufactured for the
purpose of perfumery, and, after twenty years, appear in fine labelled
samples at the London Exhibition. It is true that, even at the time of
the discovery of nitrobenzol, he pointed out the striking similarity of
its smell to that of the oil of bitter almonds. However, at that time,
the only known sources for obtaining this body were the compressed gases
and the distillation of benzoic acid, consequently the enormity of its
price banished any idea of employing benzol as a substitute for oil of
bitter almonds. However, in the year 1845, I succeeded by means of the
anilin-reaction in ascertaining the existence of benzol in common
coal-tar oil; and, in the year 1849, C.B. Mansfield proved, by careful
experiments, that benzol can be won without difficulty in great
quantity from coal-tar oil. In his essay, which contains many
interesting details about the practical use of benzol, he speaks
likewise of the possibility of soon obtaining the sweet-scented
nitrobenzol in great quantity. The Exhibition has proved that his
observation has not been left unnoticed by the perfumers. Among French
perfumeries we have found, under the name of artificial oil of bitter
almonds, and under the still more poetical name of "essence de mirbane,"
several samples of essential oils, which are no more nor less than
nitrobenzol. I was not able to obtain accurate details about the extent
of this branch of manufacture, which seems to be of some importance. In
London, this article is manufactured with success. The apparatus
employed is that of Mansfield, which is very simple. It consists of a
large