— 128 — 



The bark contained 0,075 °/ of hydrocyanic acid. A whole series of 

 other, non-volatile, substances, was also found, but these are outside 

 our purview. 



Wintergreen Oil. There are no alterations to report in the 

 price of this article. Plentiful supplies have been available and the 

 tendency of the market is rather weaker. Only the Gaultheria variety 

 („from the leaves"), which is much used in the United States, was 

 scarce and dear. 



Up to the present, cases of poisoning by methyl-salicylate, if any 

 have occurred at all, have at any rate been very rare. Kobert 1 ), for 

 instance, reports that in spite of the very frequent use of the article, 

 he has not been able to find anything on this subject in literature. 

 A case of poisoning of this kind, however, has lately been made 

 known in England through some periodicals 2 ). This was a fatal case 

 of poisoning caused by a very large quantity of methyl salicylate, which 

 according to the public analyst probably amounted to possibly 300 

 to 400 grains. The existence of the ester was proved in the stomach, 

 where most of it was found, and also in the urine, liver and kidneys. 

 Dr. J. C. W. Graham, the medical officer, stated that he only knew of 

 three similar cases in literature. 



Wormwood Oil. The consumers are beginning to make the best 

 of the fact that no considerable arrivals of French distillate are to be 

 expected any longer and have lately again paid more attention to 

 American oil, which for several years had been relegated to the back- 

 ground so far as commercial interest was concerned. From the reports 

 received from our New York branch it appears that in America the 

 increased demand has been met by extension of the cultivations, which 

 are chiefly to be found in the States of Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, 

 and New York. It is said that in Michigan and Indiana together 

 there are 230 acres under wormwood, while the area cultivated in the 

 State of New York is estimated at 14 acres. Up to the present the 

 outlook is favourable, and it is therefore probable that as a result the 

 prices will come out a little less than those now ruling. 



As already previously announced, we are able to supply this year, 

 for the first time, German wormwood oil of our own distillation, from 

 material grown in our Miltitz plantations, where, in spite of the un- 

 favourable weather conditions, the yield has been rather satisfactory, 

 Our own oil is unrivalled as regards quality, and all who care for 

 a really first class, aromatic oil will welcome it with satisfaction. We 



*) Kobert, Lehrbuch der Intoxikationen, 2nd Ed. 1 906, II. 14 1. 



2 ) Pharmaceutical Journal 82 (1909), 749; Chemist and Druggist 74 (1909), 816. 



