- 8 3 - 



acid number 0,9; ester number 35,7; soluble in 1 and more vol. 

 80 per cent, alcohol. 



We shall not fail to devote our constant attention to this subject. 



Sandalwood Oil, East Indian. The tendency of the prices 

 has now for some months been upwards, due to the fact that a few 

 manufacturers in the present state of price-cutting were unable to 

 exist. With the unusually strong demand we are fortunate in having 

 sufficiently large stocks of sandalwood to last us until the spring, even 

 when working at full pressure. The demand was occasionally so im- 

 portant that we had to work day and night. 



Under such conditions it is useless to send orders at limited prices, 

 as they have no chance of being accepted. The further course of 

 the prices depends on the result of the auctions which take place in 

 India from November 19 th to December 19 th . It has already been settled 

 that the Government will only offer as much wood for sale as is 

 required for the world's consumption, viz., about 2500 tons, — a 

 procedure which can only be approved of. 



According to a note in the German "Handelsarchiv" of March 

 last, Western Australia still continues to carry on a brisk trade in 

 sandalwood which is felled on the banks of the Swan river. In 1903, 

 the value of the export to China and Singapore came to $ 6 1 7 7 1 . 

 As already reported on a previous occasion, this variety differs in a 

 marked degree from the more precious East Indian wood, and yields 

 an oil which on account of its resinous odour cannot be used for 

 purposes of perfumery. 



The observation made some time ago by Peter 1 ), that the oil 

 of sandal capsules is frequently seriously adulterated, has recently 

 again been confirmed by Runge 2 ), who reports on this matter in the 

 Pharm. Zeitg. Of two such oils, one was strongly adulterated, as is 

 proved by the following constants: d 15 o 0,959; a n-\-6°$o f ; santalol 

 content 3 ) about 56,5°/ ; insoluble in 10 parts 70 and 80 per cent, alcohol. 



This result induces Runge on the one hand to attack the article 

 offered at cheap prices, and on the other, to recommend a thorough 

 test of the sandalwood oil bought in capsules. Where Runge for this 

 purpose quotes among others also Conrady's colour-reaction, we can 

 only emphasise once more that this unscientific method of testing 



*) Report October 1903, 63. 



2 ) Pharm. Zeitg. 49 (1904), 67 r. 



3 ) Runge speaks of "santalol number"; we presume that he means thereby 

 the content of santalol in per cent. Unfortunately Runge does not state at all 

 whether the results are based upon the formula C ]5 H 24 0, or C 15 H 26 0. The latter 

 is still used frequently, but we have often pointed out that according to more recent 

 examinations C 15 H 24 is undoubtedly more correct. 



6* 



