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As for Oyls drawn by Retort, they all of them smell so strong of the fire, that neither smell nor tast can well discover any fraud in them. Now for the fixed Salts, most of them are made of the Ashes of Tobacco-stalks, &c.
The best way to try by firing, is to put a drop or two of these Oyls on the end of a broad pointed Knife, which being first heated, and then thrust into a lighted Candle, presently take fire, and break out into a flame with much dark smoak; but if you will try them in a Spoon, heat it first over a Candle, and then blow the flame of lighted paper, or of a Wax Candle on them.
Take double refined Sugar, and do but wet it in fair water, or Rose-water and boil it to a Candy, when it is almost boiled take it off, and stir it till it be cold; then drop in three or four drops of the Oyls of whatsoever you will make, and stir it well; then drop it on a board, being before fitted with Sugar. To make Syrup of Lemons or Citrons.
Gurdon Saltonstall had on the walls of some of his state-rooms leathern hangings or tapestries. We find wealthy Sir William Pepperel sending to England, in 1737, the draught of a chamber he was furnishing, and writing, "Geet mock Tapestry or paint'd Canvass lay'd in Oyls for ye same and send me."
A third way of sophisticating Chymical Oyls is, by mixing with them such Oyls as are made by expression, which are easily discovered by rubbing them on white paper, which being held and dryed at the fire, the Chymical part soon flyes away, and leaves the paper transparent, looking no otherwise then oyled paper; but pure Chymical Oyls totally fly away, leaving the paper white as 'twas before, and not transparent, and in this way Oyl of sweet Almonds and Spike have a great share.
The same Oyls are also sophisticated with cheap ones drawn from decayed Oringes, and Limons; Your smell on firing will soon discover these mixtures.
Only drop a little of them into fair water, and that part which is true good will sink under the water, but the adulterated part will swim on the top of it. Some others draw deep tinctures from the said Spices with Spirit of Wine highly rectified, and sell them for the Oyls; but these mix with the water throughout, neither swimming, nor sinking.
And in some Chymical Oyls, as particularly that of Lemmon Pills, by barely Shaking the Glass, that holds it, into Bubbles, that Transposition of the Parts which is consequent to the Shaking, will shew you on the Surfaces of the Bubbles exceeding Orient and Lively Colours, which when the Bubbles relapse into the rest of the Oyl, do immediately Vanish.
Druggists, Chymists, Sellers of Strong-Waters and Oyls, have arose distinct from each others, and many abuses have been and are committed in each of them, as they all confess.
To try the scent, blow out the flame of the good Oyls, and your smell will soon discover the ill scent of the Turpentine from that of the good Oyl. But on the contrary, all Oyls drawn from Plants by distillation hardly flame, and the flame soon goes out, and the smoak gives a full flavour of the Plant it self, whereas those sophisticated as before, differ from the true in both.
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