SYNTHETICAL DRUGS 583 



active polymorphonuclear forms, against the germs of disease. 

 In Germany a dilute aqueous solution of sodium cinnamate is 

 employed subcutaneously under the name of hetol. A solution 

 of this salt in glycerine was suggested for the same purpose 

 by the writer of this article in 1902. An 11 per cent, solution 

 in this solvent is quite stable and free from any tendency 

 to deposit crystals. The high temperature required for its 

 production ensures its sterilit}^ and its viscidity prevents a 

 too rapid mixing of the solution with the blood stream, and 

 thus promotes a more sustained local action. The physiological 

 activity of cinnamic acid is undoubtedly due to its unsaturated 

 ethylene linking, and in this connection it is interesting to 

 notice that an even more unsaturated acid, namely, phenyl- 

 propiolic acid, CgHj . C j C . CO2H, which contains a treble 

 (acetylene) linking, has been used for laryngeal and pulmonary 

 tuberculosis in the form of its sodium salt under the designation 

 of thermiol. 



An extension of this cinnamate treatment to cases of 

 malignant disease has led to the employment of substances 

 combining the properties of salicylic and cinnamic acids, and 

 the writer has suggested the use of the three isomeric coumaric 

 acids. Of these isomerides the ortho-acid (XXXIII.) 



OH OCH3 OCH3 



lCH:CH.COoH r^OH r^O.CO.QHj 



XXXIII. XXXIV. XXXV. 



\j n. 







has given the most promising results, both clinically and in 

 germicidal experiments in vitro. 



The carbolic acid coefficients of germicidal value in respect 

 of Bacillus typhosus estimated by the Rideal-Walker method are 

 6'5 for ortho-coumaric acid, 4*5 for the meta-acid, and 4*0 for the 

 para-acid. These alkali coumarates and tylmarine, a preparation 

 of the ortho-acid suitable for internal application, have been 

 prepared by Messrs. Martindale. 



Guaiacol, the monomethyl ether of ortho-dihydroxybenzene, 

 a substance either obtained from* beechwood tar or produced 

 synthetically from ortho-anisidine, CH3O . CgHi. NH2, is fre- 

 quently indicated in tuberculosis, either free or in combination. 

 Benzosol, prepared by Messrs. Meister, Lucius & Bruning, is 

 guaiacol benzoate (XXXV.), which is split into guaiacol and 



