PERFUME-SUBSTANCES FROM THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.

Musk is a peculiar concrete secretion obtained from Moschus mochiferus, L., an animal bearing a close resemblance to the deer in shape and size, and indigenous to the high plateaus of Asia. The musk is contained in an oval, hairy, projecting sac, found only in the male, situated between the umbilicus and the prepuce. It is from 2 to 3 inches long and from 1 to 2 broad.

In commerce, several varieties of musk are distinguished, the principal ones, however, being Tonkin and Kabardin musk.

Tonkin, Thibet, or Oriental musk, Yunnan musk (Moschus tonquinensis, or orientalis, or transgangetanus) is the best variety. It comes from China, Tonkin, and Thibet. It consists of sacs of a puffed-up appearance, more roundish than longish, varying in size, being at the utmost 1.77 inches long, up to 1.57 inches broad and 0.59 to 1.18 inches thick, and weighing from 8.46 drachms to 1 oz. 9.39 drachms each. The hairy side of the sac is concave and the other flat. Fig. 21 shows an unshorn Tonkin musk sac of medium size from the concave or hairy side and Fig. 22 the same from the side. The envelop of the sac consists of a double skin, the outer skin being gray-brown. One side of the sac is covered with stiff, yellowish hair with red-brown points, generally cut short. The original packages, containing usually 24 sacs each, consist of longish, four-cornered boxes lined with lead-foil and covered outside with some silken stuff. Each sac is separately wrapped in tissue paper. The musk-substance appears as a dark red to black-brown mass intermingled with hair, and forming roundish grains. The odor is penetrating and the taste bitter.

Kabardin, Siberian, or Russian musk (Moschus sibirius, or cabardinicus) is a cheaper variety of an inferior quality, which is brought from Mongolia and Siberia. The sacs (Fig. 23) are longish, generally pear-shaped, flatter in proportion to their longitudinal and latitudinal dimensions, and not of a puffed-up appearance, the surface being frequently even shrivelled or wrinkled. The outer skin is denser and harder, and on the convex side covered with longer hair (up to 0.9 inch long), of nearly a silver or brownish color. Towards the edge of the sac the hairs are, however, frequently so trimmed and shorn as to give the sac a resemblance to the Tonkin article. The musk-substance inclosed in the sac amounts to from 8.46 drachms to 1 oz. It is somewhat paler, more brown or yellow-brown, soft, almost unctuous, when fresh, but after storing, solid or granular-pulverulent, like ground, burnt coffee. The odor is weak, offensive, more urinose, resembling that of castor, or horse sweat.

Moschus ex vesicis is said to be the musk taken from Tonkin sacs. As a rule, however, it consists of a mixture of musk substance taken from good sacs which present a bad appearance, or have been torn, and from sacs of an inferior quality, frequently adulterated with foreign substances, such as dried blood, dung of birds, weathered bicarbonate of soda, etc.

To open a musk sac, cut it with a sharp penknife around where the hairless side joints the hairy side, and empty it by scraping it out upon a sheet of paper. The membranes and hair are then removed by means of pincers.

The musk-substance of the Tonkin sacs is generally a heavy, dry-feeling mass; it is partially intermingled with and partially enveloped by small, thin, soft, brown, somewhat transparent membranes and frequently mixed with small hair. It is partially loose and crummy, and partially consists of various lumps or grains of the size of a mustard seed to that of a pea, which are more or less roundish, more seldom angular, softer or harder (but can always be readily cut), of a fatty lustre and black-brown or dark-red color. In fresh sacs, the mass is frequently soft, and, when bruised, somewhat smeary, but never unctuous. On rubbing, it becomes paler in color, and glistening hair-like, paler, gray or whitishyellow particles, sometimes of a crystalline texture, appear. The odor of the musk substance is peculiar, strong, and very constant; it is agreeable only when much diluted.

Musk is not a substance of a constant chemical and physical constitution, the reason for this being found in the age and the different foods of the musk animal, the season in which it is killed, and the degree of dryness of the musk-substance. Water dissolves ¾ of good musk and 90 per cent. alcohol ½. The alcoholic solution is not precipitated by water. Musk further contains fat-like substances, wax, gall-substances (together 10 to 12 per cent.), glue-substances and albumen (6 to 9 per cent.), traces of lactic and butyric acids, phosphates, sulphates and hydrochlorates of the alkalies and alkaline earths, frequently strong traces of ammonium carbonate and a volatile oil, further moisture, humus-substance, and fibrous matter.

Musk, when dried, has a weak odor, which gradually becomes stronger on moistening. There are several substances which destroy the musk odor, especially bitter almonds, camphor, sulphur, acids and sulphates. The odor adhering to a mortar in which musk has been rubbed can best be removed by pounding bitter almonds in it.

Since, on account of the high price of musk, the musk animal is much hunted, there is a possibility of it becoming in time extinct. For this reason a substitute has been long searched for, and is believed to have been found, especially, in the American musk-rat (Fiber zibethicus), which is chiefly hunted for its skin. In this animal the musk is found in two small sacs located between the anus and generative organs, and is emitted when the animal becomes excited. According to R. S. Cristiani, this musk is invaluable for the toilet soap industry of America, it being nearly as good and strong as genuine musk. Cristiani has formerly used much of it for scenting soaps, powders, etc., but does not recommend it for essences. When used for soaps, some time is required for the odor to become refined, and if a piece of soap scented with it is stored for a few months, it would, according to Cristiani's assertion, be difficult even for an expert perfumer to distinguish the odor from that of genuine Tonkin musk.

As possible substitutes for the musk deer may further be mentioned a species of rat indigenous to the West Indies, and an antelope of North Africa. It is also said that musk derived from the Mississippi alligator has been brought into commerce. The sacs are said to be small, the odor somewhat different from that of genuine musk, resembling that of civet, but suitable for perfuming purposes.

A process for the preparation of artificial musk has been patented by Dr. Baur, of Gispersleben. According to the specification, toluol is mixed with the halogen compounds of butane and boiled with the addition of aluminium chloride or aluminium bromide. The product of the reaction is mixed with water and distilled with steam. The fraction passing over between 338° and 392° F. is caught and treated with fuming nitric acid and fuming sulphuric acid. The product obtained is washed with water and alcohol, and crystallized. The artificial musk forms an amorphous white powder, which in time becomes yellow. It is readily soluble in 90 per cent. alcohol, but from solutions in weaker alcohol it again crystallizes out at a cool temperature. The odor becomes very pronounced after the addition of 5 drops of ammonia to 1 pound of a one per cent. solution.

This artificial product having been in existence but for a short time, it is not possible to come to a final conclusion as to its availability. However, its odor differs essentially from that of the genuine article, and it can scarcely be employed for fine extracts; if low enough in price it might, however, be suitable for soaps and cheaper perfumes.

Musk is very much adulterated, the Chinese being adepts in this sophistication. Dried blood, on account of its resemblance to musk, is among the most common adulterations, but, besides this, sand, iron filings, hair, the dung of birds, wax, asphaltum, and many other substances are introduced. They are mixed with a small portion of musk, the powerful odor of which is communicated to the entire mass, and renders the discovery of the fraud sometimes difficult. The bags containing the musk should have the characteristics before described as belonging to the natural sac, and present no sign of having been opened. One of the grossest frauds, which is also perpetrated in Europe, consists, according to Hager, in perforating the musk sac with a needle, placing it in strong rum or weak spirit of wine, and, after pressing it with the fingers, washing with spirit of wine and drying in the air. By this means a tincture suitable for perfuming purposes is obtained, while the musk-substance is increased in weight by the absorption of moisture. Sacs thus treated are, however, readily recognized, they being, after drying, gnarled and uneven.

Good musk-sacs should yield from 50 to 60 per cent. of musk. An admixture of blood is detected by the musk acquiring a putrid odor when moistened with water. The presence of pieces of metal, pebbles, resin, etc., is recognized by the naked eye or with the assistance of a magnifying glass. The microscope reveals, in pure musk, white and brownish, irregularly-formed grains, cells, oil drops, and, generally, also fungoid threads. Genuine musk burns with a white flame and leaves a gray ash, which should not amount to more than from 5 to 8 per cent.

In perfumery musk is used for soap, sachet powders, and extracts. By itself it is, however, scarcely employed, not even for the so-called musk soaps or musk extracts. It is chiefly valued by the perfumer for its property of rendering other perfumes used in combination with it more durable and bringing out their scent. For scenting soaps the musk must first be prepared. If to be used for milled soaps, it is triturated in a mortar with clear sugar, while for cold stirred soaps, weak potash lye of at the utmost 3° to 5° BÉ. is poured over it. Weak lye makes the odor more pronounced, while strong lye destroys it.

Civet (zibethum) is derived from two animals of the genus Viverra. The actual civet cat (Viverra civetta, L.) lives in the hottest parts of Africa from the Guinea Coast and the Senegal to Abyssinia, where it is carefully bred for its civet. The product is also obtained from Viverra zibetha, L., indigenous to the Moluccas and Philippines. The civet is secreted in a cavity between the anus and the external genitals, and is scraped out with a spoon. It is semi-liquid, unctuous, yellowish, becoming brown and thicker by exposure to the air, of a bitter, disagreeable, fatty taste, and of a peculiar, urinose, disagreeable odor, resembling that of musk which becomes agreeable only when much diluted and mixed with other perfumes. When ignited it burns with a bright flame, leaving behind 3 to 4 per cent. of ash. It is insoluble in water; in spirit of wine it partially dissolves with difficulty, and with greater ease in warm ether and in chloroform. It should form a homogeneous, non-crumbling mass. According to M. Boutron Chalard, it contains free ammonia, stearin, olein, mucus, resin, a yellow coloring substance, salts, and a volatile oil, the latter giving the odor to it. In perfumery, civet is chiefly used as an addition to other perfumes in order to strengthen them and make them more constant. It is also employed for perfuming fine leather articles.

Castor or castoreum is a peculiar concrete substance obtained from Castor fiber or the beaver. In both sexes between the anus and external genitals are two pear-shaped sac-like follicles (Fig. 24) united at their thin ends. The follicles contain, when fresh, a semi-liquid substance which becomes more solid by drying. The castor occurring in commerce is generally dried by smoke.

In commerce two principal varieties are distinguished: Siberian or Russian and Canadian, English or American castor, the first being the most valuable. The length of a Siberian sac varies between 2.36 and 4.72 inches, the width between 0.98 and 2.55 inches, and the thickness between 0.78 and 1.57 inches; it weighs from 1.76 to 8.81 ozs. One of the sacs is generally somewhat smaller than the other. The exterior skin of the sac is almost smooth and, in a dry state, dark brown; the interior is dirty yellow, intermixed with a dense cellular tissue, which envelops the castor-substance and is grown together with it. In a dried state, the latter is dark brown, without lustre, almost friable, of a very strong, peculiar odor, and a pungent, somewhat bitter, aromatic taste.

The sacs of Canadian castor are smaller than the Siberian, they being at the utmost 3.15 inches long, 0.98 inch thick, and darker and uneven. The interior mass is resinous, hard, with a lustrous fracture, red-brown, and can be readily pulverized. The odor is weaker, somewhat musty and ammoniacal, and the taste more bitter and less pungent than that of the Siberian castor.

Castor is much adulterated—pebbles, pieces of lead, dried blood, etc., being frequently found in the sacs. These frauds can generally be detected in cutting the sac open. Spurious sacs are said to be frequently found among the genuine sacs of Canadian castor. These spurious sacs are prepared by drying a mixture of castor, resin, dragons' blood, etc., in the scrotum of goats.

In perfumery, castor is now very seldom used, the perfumers preferring musk and civet, which, certainly, give a somewhat different scent.

Ambergris is a fatty, waxy substance, often found floating on the sea on the coasts of Arabia, Madagascar, Japan, etc. It is also found in the cÆcum of the sperm whale (Physetus macrocephalus, Schow), and is supposed by some to be a morbid secretion in the urinary bladder. According to Mr. Beale, it merely consists of the indurated fÆces of the animal, perhaps somewhat altered by disease. It has a gray-white color, often with a black streak and a slight agreeable odor, like that of benzoin, which becomes more pronounced on heating. When held for some time in the hand it becomes soft and flexible. It melts at the temperature of boiling water, and, when more strongly heated, volatilizes in the form of a white vapor, leaving but slight traces of ash behind. Its specific gravity is 0.8 to 0.9. It is insoluble in water, sparingly soluble in cold spirit of wine, and more readily so in hot spirit of wine, ether and volatile and fat oils. It is almost completely soluble in absolute alcohol. Though ambergris crumbles readily, it can only with difficulty be converted into coarse powder. With the finger it can be polished like hard soda-soap.

The principal constituent of ambergris is ambrin or ambrein, a non-saponifiable fat, which, from a saturated alcoholic solution of ambergris, crystallizes, after standing for some time, in the form of verrucose, whitish or lustrous acicular crystals. According to John, ambergris consists of 85 per cent. ambrin, 12.5 per cent. sweet balsamic extract, further benzoic acid, sodium chloride, and 1.5 per cent. insoluble brown residue. When distilled with water, ambergris yields 13 per cent. of a volatile oil having an agreeable odor. A red-hot iron wire readily penetrates ambergris, and from the hole thus made flows an oily liquid of a strong and agreeable odor.

On account of its high price, ambergris is frequently adulterated, the commercial article being often nothing but an artificial mixture of benzoin, olibanum, wax, and flour, with other substances, perfumed with musk. Such adulterations are detected by the appearance, proportions of solubility, nature of the fracture and the content of ash. A small quantity of pure ambergris, exposed to heat, melts without forming bubbles or scum. It is easily punctured with a heated needle, which, when withdrawn, should come out clean and without anything adhering to it, and the characteristic odor of ambergris should be immediately evolved. The surface should be rugged, that with a smooth and uniform surface being generally factitious.

In perfumery, ambergris is not so much used on account of its agreeable odor, but rather to make the perfumes more constant.