462 Professor Sir Henry E. Boscoe [April 16, 



prepared by Skraiip by tlie action of methyl iodide and potash on 

 paroxyquinoline. 



We must, however, bear in mind that none of these synthetical 

 febrifuges are antiperiodics, and therefore cannot be employed instead 

 of the natural alkaloid quinine in cases of ague or intermittent fevers. 



Coal-tar Aro^natic Perfumes. — A third group of no less interest 

 comprises the artificial aromatic essences, and of these may here be 

 mentioned, in the first place, cimarin, CgHgOa, the crystalline solid 

 found in the sweet woodruff, in Tonka bean, and in certain sweet- 

 scented grasses. This is now artificially prepared by acting upon 

 sodium salicyl aldehyde with acetic anhydride by the reaction which 

 is associated with the name of Dr. Perkin, and is used in the manu- 

 facture of the perfume known as " extract of new-mown hay." 



A second interesting case of a production of a naturally occurring 

 flavour, is the artificial production of vanillin, the crystalline prin- 

 cipal of vanilla. Vanilla is the stalk of the Vanilla planifolia, 

 which incloses in its tissues prisms of crystalline vanillin, to which 

 substance it owes its fragrance. Tiemann and Harrmann showed that 

 vanillin is the aldehyde of methyl protocatechuic acid 



C,H3 (OH) (OCH3) CHO, [CHO : OCH3 : OH :^ 1 : 3 : 4]. 



The chief seats of the vanilla productions are on the slopes of 

 the Cordilleras north-west of Vera Cruz in Mexico, also the island 

 of Eeunion, and in the Mauritius. Since the discovery of the arti- 

 ficial production of vanillin, the growth of the vanilla has been very 

 much restricted. 



A variety of vanilla, termed vanillon, obtained in the East Indies, 

 has long been used in perfumery for preparing " essence of helio- 

 trope." This contains vanillin together with an oil, which is probably 

 oil of bitter almonds. The essence of white heliotrope is now entirely 

 prepared by synthetical operations. It is manufactured by adding a 

 small quantity of artificial oil of bitter almonds to a solution of 

 artificial vanillin ; when these substances are allowed to remain for 

 some time in contact, the mixture assumes an odour closely resembling 

 that of natural heliotrope. Through the kindness of Mr. Rimmel 

 the speaker was able to render the fragrance of this coal-tar perfume 

 perceptible to his audience. Nor must we forget to mention the so- 

 called essence of mirbane (nitrobenzene), of which about 150 tons 

 per annum are used for perfuming soap ; and artificial oil of bitter 

 almonds, employed as a flavour in place of the natural oil. 



Coal-tar Saccharine. — Of all the marvellous products of the coal- 

 tar industry, the most remarkable is perhaps the production of a 

 sweet principle surpassing sugar in its sweetness two hundred and 

 tiventy times. This substance is not a sugar, it contains carbon, 

 hydrogen, sulphur, oxygen, and nitrogen. Its formula is 



C«^^^<SO,>N"' 



