— 84 — 



In a sassafras oil distilled from roots, E. R. Miller and G. H. Marsh 1 ) 

 have detected the presence of camphor (m. p. of the oxime 115°). This 

 is nothing new, for as far back as the year 1896, Power and Kleber 2 ) 

 observed d-camphor in oil of sassafras-root bark. 



A case of poisoning with sassafras oil is mentioned in the Pharma- 

 ceutical Journal*). A Scotch terrier, which had been treated with the oil 

 for lice, died after a week's treatment, and the post-mortem showed that 

 both the liver and the kidneys were affected. There is no doubt that 

 the cause of poisoning in this case is traceable to the safrol contained 

 in the sassafras oil; this substance, as stated by Kobert in his Lehrbueh 

 der Intoxikationen, Vol. II, p. 545, being able to cause serious anatomical 

 changes of a degenerative and fatty character, in particular in the liver, 

 kidneys, and heart. 



Savin Oil. The consumption of this oil has so enormously increased 

 in recent years that we have lately experienced difficulty in obtaining 

 sufficient quantities, and as a result of this it has naturally been necessary 

 to raise the price. The collectors of savin-twigs in Tyrol are continually 

 increasing their pretensions owing to the brisk demand for distilling 

 material, and it has been necessary to concede their demands in order 

 to prevent interruption in the supplies. In the end there will be no alter- 

 native but to look around for other sources of supply, which are hardly 

 likely to fail in view of the wide distribution of the plant. 



Spearmint Oil. In accordance with their annual custom, our 

 New York branch have sent a traveller through the growing districts and 

 have ascertained through this representative that in the States of Michigan 

 and Indiana 1727 acres are under spearmint, and that more than one-half 

 of this, viz., 921 acres, represents new plantations. Taking into account 

 the fact that the area under spearmint in 1910 was only 1462 acres, a 

 more abundant yield might have been expected, but the abnormal heat, 

 by injuriously affecting the oil-yield, has disappointed these favourable 

 anticipations. In addition to this, several speculators had secured the 

 output of some of the principal distillers in good time, with the result 

 that before long the prices showed an advance on the previous level, 

 and have lately reached $ 3.75 per lb. At the present time the market 

 is firm, and there is no prospect of lower prices. In Wayne County, 

 where last year there were still 18 acres under spearmint, our representative 

 was only able to discover 2 1 / 2 acres under this crop; and this district 

 may therefore now be struck from the list of producing sections, in all 

 probability for good. 



!) Americ. Perfumer 6 (1911), 85. 



2 ) Pharm. Review 14 (1896) 101 ; Report April 1896, 68. 



s ) Pharmaceutical Journ. 86 (1911), 368. 



