Chemical Preparations and Drugs. 65 



benzene colours. Serious cases of poisoning were caused by alcohol which had been 

 denatured with nitrobenzene. In one instance the patient died 45 minutes after arriving 

 in the hospital, although at once treated with stimulants and oxygen. The author 

 cautions against the practice of denaturing alcohol with nitrobenzene. 



According to S. Hindse-Nielsen 1 ) a grave case of poisoning, caused by taking one 

 tablespoonful of nitrobenzene (for abortive purposes), was cured by bleeding and infusion 

 of one litre of citrate-blood. 



Peru Balsam. — C. T. Bennett 2 ) has published contributions to the analysis of 

 Peru balsam, based upon his experience and observations. Peru balsam is not a pure 

 natural product, but is prepared by the searing of wounds of the trees, and undergoes 

 in this procedure a change which is not always uniform. Moreover, the product was 

 frequently adulterated with the secretions of other leaves, already in the process of 

 gathering, either from ignorance or intentionally. It would hence be explicable why 

 even authenticated samples frequently give discordant results in the analyses. 



The balsam contains benzoic and cinnamic esters of the cinnamic and benzyl 

 alcohols, free cinnamic acid, Peru resitannol esters of the cinnamic acid and benzoic 

 acid and traces of vanillin and coumarin. 



The estimation of the cinnamein contents is certainly valuable for the valuation 

 of Peru balsam, but it is not by itself decisive. We have to consider that it is possible 

 to increase the contents of cinnamein at will by adding artificial esters of benzoic 

 acid. There is a striking contradiction between the requirements of the British and 

 the American pharmacopoeia. The former demands 57 per cent., the latter 50 to 

 56 per cent, of cinnamein. A balsam containing 56 and 57 per cent, would, therefore, 

 not accord to either of the two pharmacopoeias. According to Bennett the cinnamein 

 contents of genuine balsam lies between 51 and 66 per cent. The test directions 

 specified in the two pharmacopoeias differ in their detail, but they give practically 

 the same results. 



Bennett gives the following constants for genuine balsams: — di 5 o 1.40 to 1.160; 

 n D25 o 1.5886 to 1.5952; n D25 o of cinnamein 1.5750 to 1.5820; soluble in 10 vol. 92.3 per cent, 

 alcohol with slight turbidity; sap. v. of cinnamein 229 to 257. He could not confirm 

 Dieterich's iodine values, 22 to 26 for balsam, and 7.5 to 7.9 for cinnamein, but his 

 figures, 40 to 43 for balsam, and 20 to 30 for cinnamein, agree with those of Jansen. 



It is essential for the chloral hydrate test that the chloral hydrate be perfectly 

 dry. That was first pointed out years ago by G. Fromme 3 ). 



The presence of fatty oils in the balsam is best proved in the following way 

 according to Delphin. The balsam is saponified with alcoholic caustic potash, and 

 an aqueous solution of the fat as potash soap is prepared. When fat is present, it 

 can easily be found by means of a solution of calcium chloride. 



The colour reaction described by the American pharmacopoeia for the determination 

 of rosin and oil of turpentine is generally applicable according to Bennett, but a slight 

 momentary green coloration must not be accepted as proving the presence of rosin. 

 The author himself recommends the following reaction: — The extract of the balsam 

 prepared with petroleum ether is shaken with the same volume of a one per cent, 

 solution of copper acetate. In the presence of rosin the petroleum ether will assume 

 a green colour. # 



*) Ugeskrift f. laeger 82 (1920), 1157; from Therap. Halhmonatsh. 35 (1921), 95. — 2 ) Perfiim. Record 11 

 (1920), 131. — *) Cf. Report October 1911, 114. 



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