- 65 — 



part of the alcohol mixture consisted of nerol (d i5 o 0,880) identified by its 

 tetrabromide, m. p. 118°, and diphenylurethane, m. p. 50° 1 ). 



In the fractions which did not react with phthalic acid anhydride, 

 Elze discovered terpineol, m. p. 35° (m. p. of the phenylurethane 110°). 

 This discovery is of considerable importance, as it has recently been found 

 that bergamot oil is occasionally adulterated with terpinyl acetate 2 ). Elze 

 gives no particulars of the proportion of terpineol which he found in the 

 sample. 



Eucalyptus Oils. During the past summer-months there has been 

 no lack of these oils, considerable quantities continuing to be imported 

 from Australia, which country during the last few years has been practi- 

 cally the only producing district capable of competing. Of course the 

 prices have suffered as a result of the abundant offers, and large parcels 

 could usually only be disposed of at material sacrifices on the part 

 of the producers. In the price-conditions now prevailing, Algeria and 

 Portugal have retired from competition, but it is said that lately some 

 interest has been shown in the eucalyptus oil industry in Mexico. In 

 Germany, as a result of the advantageous prices of pure eucalyptol, the 

 sale of all varieties of eucalyptus oil shows a not inconsiderable falling-off 

 as compared with previous years. The distillation of eucalyptus oil is now 

 also carried on in British India, although so far only on a modest 

 scale. Only some of the samples of oil produced in that country, for 

 the receipt of which we are indebted to Messrs. Volkart Bros., of Winter- 

 thur (Switzerland), possess the properties of a pure globulus oil; others 

 contain a considerable proportion of phellandrene. 



W. J. Brownscombe 3 ) does not agree with the proposal of Hill and 

 Umney 4 ), that in the new Edition of the British Pharmacopoeia eucalyptus 

 oil should be required to be free from phellandrene. He points out that 

 the eucalyptus oil which was originally introduced into Materia Medica 

 by Bosisto, and which laid the foundation for the repute of the oil as an 

 antiseptic, rubefacient, and stimulant, contained, in addition to eucalyptol, 

 phellandrene as well as piperitone 5 ) and pinene. The phellandrene-free 



*) According to to our findings (Journ. f. prakt. Chem. II. 71 (1905), 459; Chem. Ztg. 28 

 (1904), 1143; Report April 1904, 57; October 1904, 44; April 1905, 41) to which the author 

 probably refers, dihydrocuminic alcohol does not combine with phthalic acid anhydride. 



2 ) Report April 1910, 59. 



3 ) Chemist and Druggist 76 (1910), 669. 

 *) Ibidem 271 ; Report April 1910, 133. 



5 ) "Piperitone" is the name given by Baker and Smith to a constituent with an odour 

 of peppermint which occurs in several eucalyptus oils. Comp. Baker and Smith : A research 

 on the eucalypts, especially in regard to their essential oils. Sydney 1902, p. 229; Report 

 April 1902, 41. 



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