— 9 2 — 



hoped that by the end of 1906 it would be possible to say in how 

 far a decrease or disappearance of the disease might be reckoned 

 upon. On November 6 th a comprehensive summary of all the 

 various reports on the spike disease 1 ) was published by the Conser- 

 vator, by request of the Government of the Maharajah of Mysore, 

 and at the same time an appeal was made to scientists to devote 

 themselves to the discovery of a remedy for which a reward of 

 1 0000 rupees was offered. It therefore appears that the situation 

 after all gives rise to a certain amount of anxiety. Later information 

 on the subject is not available. 



On the strength of observations with 13 East Indian sandal oils, 

 which they have distilled from various kinds of wood imported by 

 themselves, A. L. R. Dohme and H. Engelhardt 2 ) proved that the 



25° 



specific gravity d^ 0,965 to 0,975 required for sandal oil by the 

 U. S. Pharmacopoeia, does not agree with the fact that many sandal 

 oils have a specific gravity up to 0,980. 



A good oil further, should contain 91 to 92°/ total santalol 3 ) 

 and at 25 make a clear solution with 5 vol. 70 per cent, alcohol. 

 Optical rotation, acid and ester numbers, are, in Dohme's and Engel- 

 hardt's opinion, of no importance for judging a sandal oil. 



The yields of oil varied, according to the character of the distillation 

 material, from 3,95 to 6,i8°/ , but from sawdust it only amounted 

 to 2,26%. 



We would mention with regard to the above statements, that in 

 discussing the U. S. Pharmacopoeia 4 ) we already pointed out that 

 the upper limit of specific gravity there required (d^o °>975) should 

 be raised to 0,980. Contrary to Dohme and Engelhardt, we consider 

 the optical rotation and also the acid and ester numbers, very useful 

 factors in judging the oil; the rotation particularly supplies frequently 

 important information as to whether and with what substance an oil 

 is adulterated. 



Sandarac Oil. A good many years ago already Tschirch in 

 conjunction with Balzer 5 ) had attempted the examination of this 



1 ) Selections from reports and notes on spike disease in Sandal. Cola Lodge 1906. 

 A number of copies of this publication have been placed at our disposal, and we 

 shall be pleased to send them to interested parties. 



2 ) American Druggist and Pharmaceutical Record 49 (1906), 145. 



s ) Unfortunately it is not said on what formula the santalol-content is based. 

 If it is calculated on C 15 H 24 0, a minimum of 90% should be required. It should 

 also be taken into consideration that oils with more than 92% santalol are also 

 met with. 



4 ) Report April 1906, 76. 



6 ) Arch, der Pharm. 234 (1896), 310; Report October 1901, 49. 



