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Domestic News
February 1, 1823
Edwardsville Spectator
Edwardsville, Madison County, Illinois
What is this article about?
A correspondent to the American Farmer describes methods for making castor oil at home by boiling bruised seeds, compares it to cold-pressed oil, notes its profitability, and suggests using fresh seeds for medicinal purposes.
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Full Text
From the American Farmer.
MANUFACTURE OF CASTOR OIL.
MR. SKINNER,
Having seen several inquiries in your valuable paper, concerning the manner of making Cold Pressed Castor Oil, to which no answer has been given, I am induced to make the following communication:
The direction of the Edinburgh Dispensatory, is, to deprive the seed of their shell, (which must be useless) bruise them, put them into a hempen bag and express the oil by means of a cold press, in the same manner as linseed oil.
Not having seen an oil press, I am unable to direct how it should be constructed, but suppose it very simple.
Why there should be so great a preference given to the cold pressed oil, I do not know. Many families in my neighborhood, prepare it for their own use, by decoction; and, on comparison, I have found it no more nauseous than the other. I have seen it two years old, without having become at all rancid, and the bottom of the bottle entirely clear from that cloudiness, which is observable in cold pressed oil of the same age.
To make it—bruise the seed, enclose them in a coarse bag, put this in a pot of water, and boil as long as any oil arises, which must be skimmed off and put into another pot, placed conveniently, to which apply a moderate heat, to evaporate the water taken off along with it, taking care not to overheat the oil, which may easily happen after all the water has been evaporated.
It is said the seed afford one fourth their weight in oil; if so, their culture must be very profitable at the present price of the article. Its value must depreciate very much, when its domestic preparation becomes more common, and this is only prevented by the unjust preference given the cold pressed oil, which cannot be so conveniently made in every family.
When the seed are freed from the shell and white skin, that covers them, and made into an emulsion, they operate in the same dose, as mildly and as effectually as the oil. For every purpose, the fresh seed only should be used; those which are old are acrid, and unpleasant in their operation.
If you think these remarks would do any benefit to the public, you can publish them; though I should be very glad if the necessity could be done away, by the subject being taken up by some one better able to do it justice.
Yours, &c.
F.
MANUFACTURE OF CASTOR OIL.
MR. SKINNER,
Having seen several inquiries in your valuable paper, concerning the manner of making Cold Pressed Castor Oil, to which no answer has been given, I am induced to make the following communication:
The direction of the Edinburgh Dispensatory, is, to deprive the seed of their shell, (which must be useless) bruise them, put them into a hempen bag and express the oil by means of a cold press, in the same manner as linseed oil.
Not having seen an oil press, I am unable to direct how it should be constructed, but suppose it very simple.
Why there should be so great a preference given to the cold pressed oil, I do not know. Many families in my neighborhood, prepare it for their own use, by decoction; and, on comparison, I have found it no more nauseous than the other. I have seen it two years old, without having become at all rancid, and the bottom of the bottle entirely clear from that cloudiness, which is observable in cold pressed oil of the same age.
To make it—bruise the seed, enclose them in a coarse bag, put this in a pot of water, and boil as long as any oil arises, which must be skimmed off and put into another pot, placed conveniently, to which apply a moderate heat, to evaporate the water taken off along with it, taking care not to overheat the oil, which may easily happen after all the water has been evaporated.
It is said the seed afford one fourth their weight in oil; if so, their culture must be very profitable at the present price of the article. Its value must depreciate very much, when its domestic preparation becomes more common, and this is only prevented by the unjust preference given the cold pressed oil, which cannot be so conveniently made in every family.
When the seed are freed from the shell and white skin, that covers them, and made into an emulsion, they operate in the same dose, as mildly and as effectually as the oil. For every purpose, the fresh seed only should be used; those which are old are acrid, and unpleasant in their operation.
If you think these remarks would do any benefit to the public, you can publish them; though I should be very glad if the necessity could be done away, by the subject being taken up by some one better able to do it justice.
Yours, &c.
F.
What sub-type of article is it?
Agriculture
Economic
What keywords are associated?
Castor Oil
Manufacture
Cold Pressed
Decoction
Castor Seeds
Agriculture
Profitability
What entities or persons were involved?
Mr. Skinner
F.
Domestic News Details
Key Persons
Mr. Skinner
F.
Event Details
A letter provides instructions for manufacturing castor oil by boiling bruised seeds in a bag, compares it favorably to cold-pressed oil in terms of taste, rancidity, and clarity, notes that seeds yield one fourth their weight in oil making cultivation profitable, and advises using fresh seeds for medicinal emulsion.