P - 77 - 



Lawang Oil. A bark imported from the Dutch Indies under the name 

 of "Lawang", has been examined by E. W. Mann 1 ). It yielded 0,5 p. c. of an oil 

 with an odour reminding of mace, sassafras and cloves and possessing the 

 following constants: di 5 ,5o 1,0104, « D20 o — 6,97°, n D20 o 1,5095, acid v. 1,15, 

 ester v. 41,87, sap. v. after acetyl. 121,91, sol. in 2 vols. 80 p. c. alcohol. 

 When heated with metallic sodium the oil reacted violently, producing a 

 semi-solid mass. This mass was extracted with ether, when a substance 

 was dissolved out which turned blue on exposure to air. The portion 

 v/hich is insoluble in ether is readily soluble in water. When the aqueous 

 solution was acidulated a white body was precipitated from it which, 

 when recrystallised from alcohol, had m. p. 51 to 52°. So far the nature 

 of this compound has not been disclosed. 



Mann is unable to give any particulars concerning the botanical origin 

 of the bark. He only states that Holmes is of opinion that it is probably 

 derived from a Cinnamornum- or Litsea-species. 



We surmise this suggestion to be correct, for according to de Clercq 2 ) 

 Lawang is the Malay name for Cinnamornum iners, Reinw.; N. O. Lauraceas. 

 The leaves and bark are used in the Dutch Indies as a medicament, and 

 the bark also as a spice. 



Lemongrass Oil. The trade in this article, which is one of such 

 great importance for the perfume industry, has shown a considerable 

 expansion in the period between July 1 st 1911 and June 30 th 1912. 

 During those 12 months the shipments from Cochin were as follows: — 



to London 1000 cases, against 820 cases in the previous year, 



„ Havre 1393 „ „ 1666 „ „ „ 



„ Marseilles 5284 „ „ 2212 „ „ „ „ „ 



„ Bremen 316 „ „ 250 „ „ „ 



„ Hamburg 1170 „ „ 1003 „ „ „ * „ 



„ New York 1164 „ „ 285 „ „ „ 



Total: 10327 cases, against 6236 cases in the previous year. 



During the spring of the present year the price was at first main- 

 tained at about i 1 /* d. per oz., but as the new crop approached it receded 

 to 3 x /2 d., at which considerable transactions for shipment took place. The 

 i market then showed a temporary improvement, but lately a listless tone 

 has again set in, from which it may be concluded that the output this 

 year will be considerable. The increase of the shipments to Marseilles 

 is remarkable, that port being now far ahead of all other markets. France 

 and Switzerland, the last-named country in particular, consume far more 

 than one-half of all the arrivals in the manufacture of synthetic violet 

 perfumes. 



x ) Pharmaceutical Journ. 89 (1912), 145. 



2 ) Nieuw Plantkundig Woordenboek voor Nederlandsch- Indie. Amsterdam 1909, p. 199. 



