Musk.

Musk. The musk of commerce, which is an important element in very many compounded perfumes, is mainly obtained from the Musk-deer (q.v.), the best kind being that known as Chinese musk, and imported from Tonquin. Other kinds are the Indian (from the Himalayas) and the Siberian. Musk is often adulterated with dried blood, bits of leather, &c. In 1890 Bauer of Erfurt produced an artificial musk by treating butyl-toluol with a mixture of sulphuric and nitric acids, the resulting nitro-compound being purified by crystallisation from alcohol.