14 



THE NEW YORK JOURNAL OF PHARMACY 



ccimmon. Many such instances are noted 

 in the current nuinl)ers of foreign publi- 

 cations (pharmaceutical). In most cases 

 an analysis of the article shows that it is 

 oiTerecl for sale imder a name or title, 

 which, to say the least, is misleading. 



The following- two cases will serve as 

 illustrations : 



Parinol-wax is the name of an article 

 marketed by the Tokalon Manufactur- 

 ing Company, Ltd., London, Eng. 



An analysis by S. KroU shows that it 

 consists of a perfumed, ointment-like 

 mass, containing 95.7% of fats, 2.8o7o of 

 zinc oxide and 1.4070 of water. The 

 acid number reveals the fact that the 

 preparation does not contain any wax 

 The fatty' substance found consists of 

 Cacao fat, with addition of paraffin and 

 spermaceti. The odorous principle was 

 found in some samples to consist of oil 

 of rose, in others of oil of geranium. 

 The name Parinol-frfl.r, therefore, is 

 misleading. 

 . Phar. Ztg., 59, No. i. 



Under the name of Boranium Berries, 

 the Dearborn-Gesellschaft, of Berlin, 

 markets a preparation, the chief prop- 

 ertv of which it claims is an anti-fat. The 

 directions for use are as follows : 



Take one berry after each meal and 

 one before retiring, or four berries each 

 day. The price per box is 7.50 M. 



Upon request of the Deutscher Apoth- 

 eker Verein of Berlin, Von C. Mannich 

 and G. Leembuis examined this prepara- 

 tion and report as follows : 

 ■ Each box (paste-board) contained 120 

 pastilles, brown in color. Many of the 

 pastilles were spotted owing to crystalli- 

 zation of sugar on their surface. Thev 

 are of soft consistence, have a sweet 

 taste, iieppennint taste. 



The weight of the individual pastilles 

 or berries ranged between T.27 and 2.25 

 grammes. 



The basis of the mass consists of in- 

 vert sugar, vvdiich reduces Fehling's solu- 

 tion rapidly in the cold. 



The mass dissolves in water, with the 

 separation of a yellow-white crystalline 

 powder, which melts at 253° C, and 

 which dissolved readily in solution of 

 sodium hydroxide, forming a deep-red 

 solution ( Phenolphthalein. ) 



The quantity of phenolphthalein in 

 each "berry" ranged from 0.061 to 0.108 

 grammes. 



In a previous analysis it was stated 

 that the "berries" contained potassium 

 bitartrate. The present sample, how- 

 ever, did not contain this in any appre- 

 ciable quantity. The aqueous solution 

 reacts acid with litmus, 10 grammes of 

 material, however, when dissolved in 

 water, required for neutralization onh 

 2.30 ccm. of N/io NaOH, Y. S. This 

 calculated as potassium bitartrate would 

 show the presence of only 0.43%. 



Matter volatilized at 100° C. (water 

 and volatile oils), amounted to 19.6%. 

 Ash equalled 1.30% and was of an alka- 

 line reaction. Iodine and alkaloids were 

 not present. 



The name "Boranium Berries" is mis- 

 leading, in that it might be supposed that 

 the article in question was a natural 

 berrv, when in fact it was shown that the 

 "berries" consist of a mass of sugar, to 

 which has been added phenolphthalein 

 (average of 0.07 gm. to each "berry"), 

 oil of peppermint and a fruit gelatin. 



Phar. Ztg. 50, 1914, No. 8. 



