145 



not be discovered, but in any case we desire to call attention to a form 

 I of adulterant which will most probably again be found in menthol on 

 several occasions, especially when menthol-prices are high. 



We report on the market-position of menthol under peppermint oil, 

 Japanese, p. 102. 



Musk, Tonquin. For some considerable time the price-fluctuations 

 of this important article have moved within a narrow compass. As may 

 be imagined, the musk-trade in China has suffered severely during the 

 last few months from the effects of the Revolution, and the supplies from 

 the interior to Shanghai have been completely suspended. Nevertheless 

 the market has not been affected in any way, and it may therefore be con- 

 cluded that the stocks in the principal consuming countries were sufficient, 

 and that this was the reason why the cessation of trade in the country 

 of production has failed to make any impression. 



Exports of musk from Shanghai in the year 1911. 



Year 



to Paris 



to London 



to New York 



to Germany 

 and Austria 



Total 



1911 



Catties 



417 



Catties 



155 



Catties 



317 



Catties 



20 



Catties 



909 







compared with 







1910 



722 



239 



287 



65 



1313 



1909 



480 



161 



186 



60 



887 



1908 



666 



37 



211 



9 



923 



1907 



829 



57 



337 



37 



1260 



Peru Balsam. In a critical review of the method for the determination 

 of cinnameine in Peru balsam prescribed in the German Pharmacopoeia Ed. V, 

 F. Lehmann and A. Miiller 1 ) call attention to certain imperfections in the 

 Pharmacopoeia-prescription. 



The first of these imperfections is that the volume of the cinnameine 

 which has gone into solution is entirely disregarded in the calculation. 

 If, as prescribed, 2,5 g. balsam is shaken up with 50 cc. ether and the 

 necessary quantity of liquor, the ether layer, when the mixture has been 

 left to settle, does not represent 50 cc, as is assumed in the Pharmacopoeia- 

 test, but 51 cc. This means that in following the Pharmacopoeia-method 

 %er 1% cinnameine less is taken into account than is actually found 

 present when the figures used represent the real conditions. 



Stocker 2 ) had already called attention to another cause of error. He 

 had discovered that when the alkaline ethereal balsam mixture is not shaken 



J ) Arch, der Pharm. 250 (1912), 1 

 2 ) Apotheker Ztg. 26 (1911), 283. 



