1078. Vanilla Water

1078.      Vanilla Water. Macerate 1 pound vanilla in coarse powder, and 5 pounds salt in 21/2 gallons water for 24 hours. Then distill over rapidly 1 gallon.

1079. Rose Water

1079.      Rose Water. Take 48 Troy ounces pale rose, and 16 pints water. Mix them and distill 8 pints. "When it is desirable to keep the rose for some time before distilling, it may be preserved by being well mixed with 1/2 its weight of chloride of sodium (table salt). U. S. Ph. (See No. 1008 (Rose Water).)

1080. To Prepare Aromatic Waters from Essential Oils

1080.      To Prepare Aromatic Waters from Essential Oils. The United States Pharmacopoeia, although not discarding altogether the process of distillation in the preparation of aromatic water, directs, in preference, that water should be impregnated with the volatile oil by trituration with carbonate of magnesia, and subsequently filtered. This is the most simple and easy process. The water is obtained pure and transparent, the magnesia being separated by the filtration. The object of the magnesia is simply to enable the oil to bo brought to a minute state of subdivision, and thus present the largest possible surface to the water; but its use is open to the objection that it is slightly soluble in water, and is apt to produce, under certain circumstances, a slightly flocculent precipitate. It has been recommended to use porcelain clay, finely powdered glass, or pumice stone, instead of magnesia, as these substances arc wholly insoluble. (See No. 1073 (Directions for Distilling Perfumed Waters) and 1081.)

1081. Aromatic or Perfumed Waters

1081.  Aromatic or Perfumed Waters. Take 2 fluid drachms of the essential oil of the plant, triturate with 2 drachms levigated powdered silex; then add very gradually, with constant trituration, 8 pints distilled water. After brisk agitation for some time, filter the solution through filtering paper wetted with pure water. This is a convenient method for the extemporaneous preparation of perfumed waters, but, without great care in manipulating, the products are inferior instrength to those obtained by distillation. Finely powdered or levigated glass may be used when silex (quartz) is unobtainable. Magnesia and sugar were each formerly used for the purpose, but are objectionable. (See No. 1080 (To Prepare Aromatic Waters from Essential Oils).

1082. Aromatic or Perfumed Waters

1082. Aromatic or Perfumed Waters. Instead of preparing the waters directly from the essential oils, an essence may be made by dissolving 1 Imperial fluid ounce of the essential oil in 9 fluid ounces rectified spirit; 2 Imperial fluid drachms, of the essence agitated briskly for some time with 1 Imperial pint distilled water, and filtered through wet filtering paper, will make a good perfumed water. Cooley says this is an excellent formula for extemporaneous waters; but the U. S. Dis. pronounces them feeble for medicated purposes, in the properties of their respective essential oils. (-See No. 1008 (Rose Water).)