30 Report of Schimmel q Co. April 1913. 



Although the odour and the taste of bananas clearly remind of the ester in 

 question, and although it is well-known that the aromatic principle of a variety of 

 fruits can be excellently imitated by the aid of synthetic esters, especially amylesters, 

 no proof had yet been given of the presence of amylester in natural products. 



The circumstance that it was precisely in bananas, a fruit which in its native 

 country is a highly-esteemed foodstuff and which is also becoming more and more 

 popular in Europe, a fruit moreover of which the harmless character is universally 

 recognised, that amylacetate should be discovered, should be of interest in view of 

 the trouble which has arisen in connection with the use of artificial fruit essences in 

 the manufacture of liqueurs. The expert opinions given in connection with this matter 

 declared in part that artificial fruit essences consisted of amyl-esters which were 

 prepared from fusel oil and were consequently injurious to health. 



It is true that no convictions have resulted from these troubles, because the 

 aforesaid expert opinions could not be maintained, but nevertheless these incidents 

 were exceedingly unpleasant for the manufacturers concerned. 



The fact that amylacetate can be taken in bananas without any danger to the 

 human health shows that the use of small quantities of synthetic amylesters in 

 essences which serve for the preparation of liqueurs and aerated waters is quite 

 innocuous. Moreover, in examining and judging fruit essences prepared from natural 

 fruit which is known to contain esters, care must now be recommended, for it is 

 quite possible that amylesters may be found to be among the natural constituents 

 of other fruit, as they are of bananas. 



In this respect the series of similar investigations which C. Kleber intends to 

 make with other fruit will be of great interest. 



Oil of Sweet Basil. This article, which was formerly so much in demand for 

 fine perfumery, is scarcely called for at all nowadays, but on the other hand the 

 supplies have also ceased almost entirely. For this reason the price has remained 

 unaltered at its old level. 



Roure-Bertrand Fils 1 ) describe two samples of oil of sweet basil, produced in the 

 island of Mayotta, and possessing the following constants: di 5 o 0,9677 and 0,9630, 

 a D + 0°58' and + 0°56', acid v. 1,4 and 0,7, sap. v. 5,6 and 6,3, sol. in 3 and 3,2 vols, 

 and more 80 p. c. alcohol. The samples had the characteristic odour of sweet basil 

 oil, with this difference that it reminded not only of methyl chavicol but also, and 

 fairly distinctly, of anethol. 



The constants of the oils are the same as those of Reunion oil. 



Bay Oil. At last the scarcity of this article has come to an end, and there is 

 now no difficulty in procuring regular supplies of unimpeachable quality. The defects 

 that used to attach to the oil which was formerly imported appear to have been over- 

 come, probably because the manufacturers have now acquired greater practice in 

 distilling. It is true that so far as quality is concerned the West-Indian oils are still 

 inferior to our own oil (which we ceased to distil years ago for lack of supplies of 

 bay-leaves), but this drawback is not specially felt, because those perfumers who are 

 accustomed to use an extra-quality oil are still able to have recourse to our terpene- 

 less bay oil. The latter is not only exceptionally soluble, but it has the additional 



x ) Berichte von Roure-Bertrand Fils, October 1912, 76. 



