36 



THE JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY. 



tened cells, which hear a single row of unicellular papillose hairs, which 

 project into the central cavity. These hairs have the interesting function 

 of secreting the oily and resinous substances which elaborate the vanillin. 

 A few words upon the microscopical identification of false crystalline 

 structures on the outside of the fruit. Unscrupulous dealers often use ben- 

 zoic acid to make a false appearance of vanillin. It is to be distinguished 

 from the real article by the fact that its crystals are flattened and rhom- 

 boidal, whereas the crystals of vanillin are usually acicular and stand out, 

 as a rule, at right angles to the surface of the fruit. 



THE MOULDS UPON THE FKUIT. 



A beautiful specimen of the fruits was given to me by Mr. Henning 

 which showed a marked development of mould on the inside. Fragments 

 of this mouldy fruit were planted upon gelatin and nutrient agar-agar with 

 the following results: The principal mould found was " Aspergillus re- 

 pens"; another form was the "Mucor circinelloides." The first of these 

 moulds is extremely common over the civilized world. The second is a 

 form that has been found by me in the air of this city, but it is extremely 

 rare. In Europe it is reported much more frequently. The characters of 

 these moulds can be seen by consulting the Journal of Pharmacology 

 for November, 1897. A number of bacteria were also obtained, but these 

 wiere in all probability from the air, and not deserving of special mention. 



THE CHEMISTRY OF VANILLIN. 



By Virgil Coblentz, Ph. P. 



The odorous properties of the vanilla bean reside in the crystalline prin- 

 ciple vanillin and a minute quantity of a balsam-like substance which is 

 found in the seed. As is well known, the odorous principles are not well 

 developed until during the curing process. It is then evident that there 

 pre-exists in this fruit a complex organic body, which undergoes hydrolysis, 

 or oxidation, during the sweating process, the exact nature of which changes 

 has never been studied. The relations of the different compounds con- 

 cerned in the production of vanillin may be indicated as follows: 



CoH, COOH Benzen Carboxylir Acid 



( OH (1) 

 C, H 4 ^ COOH (2) Oxybenzoic-Ortho or Oxy'-Carboxy 2 Benzen 



123-vicinal or adjacent 

 Oi-oxybenzoie Acid 124-asymetrical 



135-symetrical 



