— 137 — 



The paper further contains a description of the experiments for 

 ascertaining the action of zP-^-menthenone-S which have already been 

 published as a supplement to our Bericht of April 1911. 



In conclusion, Geinitz describes certain experiments in ascertaining 

 the action of umbellulone, to which we referred in our Report of April 1909 

 (p. 116) in connection with an investigation by Prof. Kobert. It was found 

 that even in a dilution of 1:15 000 (by weight) umbellulone exercised a 

 powerful narcotic action upon fish. For purposes of comparison experiments 

 were made with alcohol and ether, from which it appeared that to narcotise 

 deeply a healthy specimen of fish, 20 cc. ether or alcohol to 3 litres water 

 is required, which represents a concentration by weight of 1:166 and 

 1 : 190 respectively. The result of respiration-experiments with frogs showed 

 that 1 drop (= 0,045 g.) umbellulone sufficed to produce a complete and 

 extraordinarily deep narcosis. Experiments with rabbits also showed that, 

 when injected hypodermically, umbellulone is capable of exercising narcotic 

 action upon these animals, but that that action is accompanied by dangerous 

 collateral effects, as already stated in our Report of April 1909 (p. 116). 



The greater part of the essential oils and their derivatives used in 

 the experiments had been placed by us at the author's disposal. 



A detailed publication on the behaviour of the alicyclic compounds 

 which occur in combination of glucuronic acid in the organism has ap- 

 peared from the pen of J. Hamalainen 1 ), to whose work we have already 

 referred several times 2 ). The substances in question, in olive oil solution 

 and in the proportion of 1 : 5 to 10, according to their degree of solubility, 

 were administered once daily to rabbits by means of a stomach-tube, the 

 daily dose varying according to its toxicity, from 0,5 to 2,5 grams. The 

 substances thus administered were found again in the urine, usually in 

 combination with glucuronic acid. In the course of the investigation it 

 was shown that the hydrocarbons are hydroxylised, at least in part, by 

 simple oxidation, and that probably only secondary alcohols are formed 

 in this process. In the case of the unsaturated hydrocarbons menthene, 

 sabinene, pinene, and nopinene the double bond is not attacked, the 

 combined acids which are formed being unsaturated. Menthene is con- 

 verted into menthenol-2 or -6; sabinene into sabinenol-3 or -5; pinene 



^perhaps into pinenol-3, and nopinene possibly into nopinenol-2 or -3. 



^Saturated camphane deviates in its behaviour to this extent that it is 

 converted into borneol, and not into /?-borneol 3 ), for, as a rule, the oxidation 

 in vitro does not occur side by side with the methyl-group. 



The primary alcohols combine without change. The secondary alcohols 

 dihydrocarveol, thujyl alcohol, sabinol, «-santenol, fenchyl- or isofenchyl 



*) Skand. Arch. f. Physiologic 27 (1912), 141. From a reprint kindly sent to us. 

 *) Report April 1909, 113; April 1911, 157. 

 ») Comp. p. 159. 



