— 81 — 



Oil of Monarda fistulosa. S. K. Suzuki 1 ) has recently published 

 a note on hydrothymoquinone, which was discovered by Brandel and 

 Kremers-) in the oil of Monarda fistulosa. 



Suzuki has fractionated this oil, freed from its phenols, at ordinary 

 pressure, leaving the portion which boils at a temperature above 180° to 

 stand for a few days at 0°. The quinone was then found to have separated 

 out in light brown crystals, which, when recrystallised from hot water, 

 had assumed a white colour and melted at 140,1°. The author was also 

 able to detect hydrothymoquinone in several other samples of oil, some 

 I of them of a considerable age. Moreover, when the samples were distilled 

 with steam the red substance which had been observed by previous 

 investigators 3 ) again appeared. Recrystallised from alcohol, this body 

 melted at 226,5°. Suzuki was unable to ascertain any particulars concerning 

 its constitution, except the fact that it is not a uniform body. 



Mustard Oil. As was to be expected, the value of our own pure 

 distillate has undergone no change. We are just now engaged in working 

 up a new supply, which we have been able to secure at favourable rates. 

 But we cannot refrain from stating that mustard seed, at any rate so far 

 as the varieties suitable for distillation are concerned, has recently become 

 decidedly more expensive, and that therefore our quotations for mustard 

 oil are also to be regarded as very firm. 



Recently in the course of distillation of a parcel of Indian seed 

 we found the oil which was obtained to behave altogether abnormally 

 and to differ materially from the ordinary allyl mustard oil, both in its 

 physical constants and in having a less penetrating odour. Unfortunately 

 we have been unable, thus far, to trace the causes of this difference. 

 Dr. Giessler, Curator of the Botanical Institute of the University of Leipzig, 

 who has examined the seed, informed us that it was without doubt the 

 seed of Brassica juncea Hook. fil. et Thorns., that is to say of the plant 

 which, according to the general belief, yields the ordinary commercial seed. 

 For the purposes of ready comparison we give below the physical 

 constants of the abnormal oil side by side with those of ordinary allyl 

 mustard oil : — 



Abnormal oil Normal oil 



d 15 o 0,9950 1,014 to 1,025 



« D +0°12' inactive 



n D20O 1,51849 1,527 to 1,528 



Solub. in 10 vols. 70°/o alcohol in about 8 vols. 70% alcohol 

 Ordinary mustard oil only contains an insignificant proportion of 

 fractions with a b. p. exceeding 155°, but in the case of the abnormal 



!) The Midland Drugg. and Pharm. Review 44 (1910), 342. 



2 ) Pharm. Review 19 (1901), 200, 244; Report October 1901, 70. 



3 ) See Gildemeister and Hoffmann, The Volatile Oils, p. 615. 



