— 124 — 



In commenting upon these figures the Secretary of State pointed out 

 that the samples, with a few exceptions, were merely informal and that 

 the quantities of the adulterant given must be regarded as minimum 

 figures. The Secretary mentioned spirits of rosin and mineral oil as 

 among the adulterants. On the ground of these results the Depart- 

 ment intends to try to obtain a conviction under the Food & Drugs 

 Act, which shall constitute a decision that may be used as a precedent. 

 In the meantime, five such prosecutions have terminated with conviction. 



E. H. Gane and M. H.Webster 1 ) report on the ordinary substitutes 

 for adulterants of oil of turpentine. Most nearly related to the 

 pure oil (gum turpentine) are the so-called wood turpentines which 

 are obtained by steam distillation from pitchy wood chopped small 

 (steamed wood turpentine), or from the stumps of trees which' have 

 rotted or been cut down (stump turpentine), or again as a bye-product 

 in the manufacture of wood pulp (wood pulp turpentine). Chemically 

 these varieties of oils vary little, it is said, from genuine oil, and for 

 technical purposes they are fully equal to it; but as a rule they have 

 a more pungent odour. Recently, however, improved methods of 

 purification have overcome this objection; in fact, oil distilled from 

 wood often has a more pleasant odour than pure oil of turpentine. 

 At the present time most of the oil of wood turpentine is obtained 

 by dry distillation from resinous wood, and then purified by subsequent 

 steam distillation. In this process pine tar oils of varying density are 

 obtained as by-products, and these are used for the manufacture of 

 turpentine substitutes. As regards suitability for the manufacture of 

 paints and varnishes, it is said that wood turpentine possesses the 

 same power of absorbing atmospheric oxygen, and therefore the same 

 drying power, as gum turpentine. 



Originally petroleum distillates were used as adulterants, both petro- 

 leum itself and petroleum benzine. Gane and Webster consider that 

 the statement that spirits of rosin also is sometimes added is probably 

 incorrect, because of the objectionable odour and dark colour of the 

 latter. They themselves have not come across any oil adulterated in 

 this manner. The oily character of petroleum and the high degree of 

 inflammability of benzine led to the introduction as a substitute of 

 the so-called "mineral base", which is obtained from heavy petroleum 

 oils by the cracking process and subsequent careful fractionation of 

 the product. It is possible that this distillate is useful as a solvent 

 or diluent, but the properties of oil of turpentine can in no case be 

 expected of it. 



x ) American Druggist and Pharmaceutical Record; through Pharmaceutical Journal 

 .82 (1909), 684. 



