— 93 — 



For the purpose of the determination, liquids are employed which 

 contain 0,05 to 0,15 gm. vanillin. A solution which contains in 10 cc. 

 hot water iy 2 times the theoretically required quantity of m-nitro- 

 benzhydrazide, i. e. 0,1 to 0,25 gm., is added to the vanillin solution; 

 this is left standing in a stoppered vessel with occasional shaking for 

 24 hours, then filtered through a Gooch's crucible, washed with 

 cold water, dried for 2 hours at 100 to 105 , and then weighed. 

 By multiplying the quantity (in grams) of the weighed condensation- 

 product of the formula 



N0 2 .C 6 H 4 . NH.N:CH.C 6 H 3 • (OCH 3 ) - (OH) 



with 0,4829, the quantity of vanillin is obtained. In order to deter- 

 mine the vanillin- content in the vanilla pods, about 3 gm. are extracted 

 for, say, 3 hours with ether (at most 50 cc), the solvent then evapor- 

 ated at 6o°, next dissolved in 50 cc. water, and, as indicated above, 

 the condensation product of yanillin precipitated with m-nitrobenz- 

 hydrazide. As the ethereal extract of vanilla pods contains fat, the 

 reaction mass, in order to remove the fat, is three times extracted 

 with petroleum ether. The petroleum ether solution is passed through 

 the Gooch's crucible, and only then is the vanillin-m-nitrobenzhydrazone 

 placed in the crucible, and washed with petroleum ether previous to 

 drying. In the case of alcoholic vanilla extracts, the alcohol must first 

 be carefully evaporated. 



Contrary to Preusse's 1 ) observations, Y. Kotake 2 ) found in the 

 urine of rabbits to which vanillin had been administered, the presence 

 of a lsevorotatory substance. In the animal body vanillin experiences 

 an oxidation into vanillinic acid which is partly separated off in the 

 urine in the form of glycurovanillinic acid. Basic lead acetate precipi- 

 tates it from its solution. It is laevorotatory, and does not reduce 

 alkaline copper solution. By boiling with dilute sulphuric acid it is 

 split up into vanillinic acid and glycuronic acid. 



Musk. A report of Mr. Alexander Hosie 3 ), Consul General at 

 Chengtu, gives some interesting information on the musk -trade. A 

 journey which he undertook in July 1904 on the Eastern borders of 

 Thibet brought him to Tachienlu, the capital of the province Szuchuan, 

 of which one of the most valuable commercial products is musk, which 

 is bartered chiefly for tea, silk, atlas and cloth. At Tachienlu, the 



J ) Zeitschr. f. physiol. Chem. 4 (1877), 213. 



*) Zeitschr. f. physiol. Chem. 45 (1905), 320. Accord, to Chem. Ztg. Repert. 29 



(^OS) 3 2 8, and Chem. Centralbl. 1905, II. 690. 



*) A Journey to Thibet. Chemist and Druggist 67 (1905), 651. 



