— 9i — 



Safrol. The advancing prices of camphor oil will in course of 

 time have to be taken into consideration in calculating the price of 

 safrol. For the present we are still working up material bought by 

 us at low prices and for that reason have still refrained from raising 

 our quotations. 



Terpineol. On the basis of the present prices of oil of turpen- 

 tine, the quotations of terpineol ought to be raised considerably but 

 for the fact that these unfavourable conditions are counteracted by 

 improvements in the manufacture. 



We produce only one quality, which is of the greatest purity and 

 possesses an incomparable fragrance. In spite of the large increase 

 in our plant, we are scarcely able to meet the demand — the best 

 proof, no doubt, of the excellent quality of our product. 



We have in our Reports repeatedly warned against attaching too 

 great a value to colour reactions in the terpene chemistry. In spite 

 of this, new ones are recommended again and again, which often 

 already at the outset appear of little value. This, for example, is 

 the case wdth the reaction mentioned by C. Rei chard 1 ) for the 

 detection of terpineol in mixtures of perfumes, essential oils, etc. This 

 reaction is accomplished as follows: — In a small porcelain dish are 

 given a few drops of a strong aqueous solution of potassium thio- 

 cyanate; this is heated until a slight crust of solid salt separates out 

 at the margin of the liquid, and a small drop of terpineol is then 

 added. If a drop of concentrated sulphuric acid is added to this 

 mixture starting from the edge, there occurs at ordinary temperature 

 immediately an intense coloration which usually appears to be brown- 

 red, but, according to the degree of concentration of the solution of 

 potassium thiocyanate, the shades of colour observed may be blood- 

 red, purple, or brown. Turpentine oil and terpin hydrate also give 

 this reaction. If instead of potassium thiocyanate, a solution of sodium 

 bisulphite is used, but for the rest the reaction is accomplished in 

 the same manner, a beautiful blood-red mixture is obtained. 



As other terpene compounds react the same as terpineol, a practical 

 utilisation of this reaction is out of the question. 



Thiosinamine, the excellent effect of which in cicatrisation 

 after burns, etc., was already mentioned in our last Report 2 ), has 

 lately also been warmly recommended by Mellin 3 ). It is used in 



*) Pharm. Centralhalle 46 (1905), 971. 



2 ) Report October 1905, 127. 



8 ) Accord, to Therap. Monatsh. 12 (1905), 650. 



