Cherry laurel water

Artificial products, obtained by addition of aromatic substances to commercial alcohol, may however be recognised, as they contain little or no hydrocyanic acid and are rich in benzaldehyde. Kirschwasser and similar spirits are prepared, although rarely, from alcohol and bitter almond or cherry laurel water and in such cases hydrocyanic acid is present. Artificial products are generally prepared from rectified alcohol and thus have a low coefficient of impurity and contain only very small amounts of higher alcohols. 

Egyptians and Romans were known to use poisonous plant extracts as a method of suicide and murder. Preparations of cherry laurel water containing cyanogenic glycosides distilled from the bark of the tree were used by Romans, including Lacosta, who used such material to poison individuals who displeased Nero (Sollmann, 1948). 

Syrup 01 MCilk. Evaporate, with constant stirring, 6 pounds of skimmed milk to 3 pound.s md pounds of sugar dissolve with a gentle heat, and strain. It may be flavored with the addition of 1 ounce of cherry-laurel water. Milk may be preserved by first heating it, and, when cold, charging it with carbonic acid gas. 

Belladonna Liniment for Lead Colic. Take 40 grains extract of belladonna. 1 drachm rectified ether, aud 2 fluid ounces cherry-laurel water. As a friction to the abilomeo in lead colic. 

Take 15 parts syrup of gum-arabic, 5 parts syrup of tolu, 5 parts maiden-hair, 1 part nitrate of potassa, and 1 part cherry-laurel water. Dose, a table-spoonful in a cup of sweet balm tea, in short draughts. 

Since the days of ancient Rome, cyanide and the derivatives of this highly toxic substance have been used as weapons.1 Nero used cherry laurel water, which contains cyanide as its chief toxic component, to poison members of his family and others who displeased him. Napoleon III proposed the use of cyanides to enhance the effectiveness of his soldiers bayonets during the Franco-Prussian War. 

Cherry Laurel Oil is distilled from the leaves of Primus laurocerasus, an evergreen shrub, a native of South-eastern Europe and Asia Minor. Most of the oil is distilled in the south of Switzerland and in Italy. It is obtained also in England and Germany, together with the official cherry laurel water, by distilling the leaves in the ordinary way. It has the following characters —... 

Not used in the United States, but cherry laurel water is used in Europe as sedative, auodyne, and antispasmodic and in eye lotions. 

Amygdalin, CaoHjrNOn—157—exists in cherry-laurel and in bitter almonds, but not in sweet almonds. Its characteristic reaction is that, in the presence of emulsin, which exists in sweet as well as in bitter almonds, and of water, it is decomposed into glucose, benzoic aldehyde, and hydrocyanic acid. The same reaction is brought about by boiling with dilute HaSO< or HCl. Bitter almonds contain about 2 per cent, of amygdalin. 

Benzyl Alcohol, C6H5CH2OH, occurs in the balsam of Peru in the free condition, and in combination as the esters of benzoic acid and cinnamic acid. It is also present in small quantity in the volatile oil of cherry-laurel. The alcohol is a liquid, which possesses a faint odor, is difficultly soluble in water, and boils at 206 . 

Prunus lauro-cerafus, laurel,dillilled water from the leave.. Prunus cerafus j black cherry, diflilled water from the kernels. 

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