# FYI: **WINTERGREEN OIL, betula oil, sweet birch oil, teaberry oil. No. 5994, Merck In



## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

ADDING BOLDThe following information is probably why we use spearmint oil in Honey-B-Healthy.
I.	**WINTERGREEN OIL, betula oil, sweet birch oil, teaberry oil. No. 5994, Merck Index.
A. Contains: Methyl salicylate; 2-Hydrxybenzoic acid methyl ester; C8H8O3. Mol. Wt. 152.14. (This is a natural source of aspirin!)
B.	Present in leaves of Gaultheria procumbens L., Ericaceae; in the bark of Betula lenta L., Black Birch, and Betulaceae; mostly prepared by esterification of salicylic acid with methanol. 
C.	The product of commerce is about 99% pure. 
D.	Colorless, yellowish or reddish, oily liq; odor and taste of Gautheria. Mp -8.6� bp 220-224� d25/25 1.184. D of the natural ester is about 1.180. N20/D 1.535-1.538. Flash pt, closed cup: 210�F (99�C). 
E.	Slightly soluble In water; one gram in about 1500 ml.; soluble in chloroform, ether. 
F.	Misc with alcohol, glacial acetic acid. LD50 orally in rats: 887 mg/kg. P.M. Jenner et al., Food Cosmet. Toxicol. 2: 327 (1964). 
G.	*Human toxicity: ingestion of relatively small amounts may cause severe poisoning and death (average lethal dose: 10 ml in children, 30ml in adults). *1.	Symptoms of poisoning: nausea, vomiting, acidosis, pulmonary edema, pneumonia, convulsions, death. Cf. Clinical toxicology of Commercial Products, R. E. Gosselin et al., eds. (Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, 4th ed. 1976), Section III, pp. 295-303. 
2.	Use: in 
1.	*Because of toxicity concerns, follow the suggested manufacturer's oral or topical dosage form regimen: 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of wintergreen oil is equivalent to approximately 7000 mg of salicylate or 21.5 adult aspirin tablets.*Regards,
Ernie Lucas Apiaries


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## alpha6 (May 12, 2008)

ummm...fresh breath and death!!??


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## Bodo (Mar 11, 2008)

I really hope people aren't swigging this stuff...


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## Texas Bee (Mar 21, 2008)

I Got headache 2 drops of wintergreen please........


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## fat/beeman (Aug 23, 2002)

*hbh*

I think everything in moderation,I have used essences of oils for yrs,with 1=2 % loss in bee hives or nuc's. no one forces you to use anything in your hives,most use over dose method.
Don


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## rainesridgefarm (Sep 4, 2001)

The red tape the epa has on shipping a product that is mixed with wintergreen oil is why they use spearament oil.


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