96 Report of Schimmel § Co. 1922. 



the difference. This method is said to be sufficiently accurate for technical purposes 

 (difference 0.4 to 0.6 per cent.). 



O. Wichmann 1 ) examined trinitroisobutyltoluene and trinitrobutylxylene as to their 

 pharmacodynamic action. In the human or animal organism, by oxidation of the 

 CH 3 group, the trinitrobutyltoluene splits off water which joins the butyl group. In 

 this way tertiary butyl alcohol is formed in addition to w-trinitrobenzoic acid. The 

 latter combines with glycocol, thus forming m-trinitrohippuric acid which is secreted 

 with the urine. The tertiary butyl alcohol has the capacity of combining in the animal 

 organism with glycuronic acid which also leaves the body with the urine. The human 

 organism secretes the tertiary butyl alcohol through the respiration process. 



In a closed room, insects (gnats and flies) were killed by the effect of artificial mus'k. 



A subcutaneous injection of 0.05 to 0.1 gram of trinitrobutyltoluene dissolved in 

 oil caused the death of cold-blooded animals (frogs) after four hours. 



Warm-blooded animals were not affected by up to 1 gram taken internally. After 

 a subcutaneous injection of 0.2 gram dissolved in oil an increase of the reflex move- 

 ments was noticed in guinea-pigs; 0.4 gram caused death within 12 hours after previous 

 signs of paralysis. 



Doses up to 1 gram, internally, had no effect on human beings; but it is to be 

 supposed that larger quantities injected subcutaneously must act as poison on the 

 human organism. 



A therapeutical use of trinitrobutyltoluene and trinitrobutylxylene is not very likely 

 to come into consideration. 



Myrtole. — The myrtle oil fraction boiling between 160 and 180° is used for 

 inhaling under the name of myrtole. One of its essential components, which causes 

 perhaps its praised antizymotic and desodorizing effect, is eucalyptole. This con- 

 sideration apparently induced the supplier of a so-called myrtole, submitted to us for 

 inspection, to give eucalyptole instead, a proceeding requiring a rather elastic conscience. 



The sample behaved as follows:— di 5 o 0.9294, « D + 0°, n D20 o 1.45802, solidification 

 point -}-0.2 o , soluble in 4 volumes and more of 60 per cent, alcohol. These constants 

 tally completely with those of eucalyptole (d 15 o 0.928 to 0.950, « D + 0°> n D20 o 1.454 to 

 1.459, solidification point between and +1°, soluble in 4 volumes and more of 

 60 per cent, alcohol, whereas those of myrtole are entirely different, as is shown by 

 the following figures established for myrtole of our own distillation: — d 15 o 0.884 to 

 0.904, « D + 15 to +24°, n D20O 1.462 to 1.463, soluble in 0.5 volume and more of 

 90 per cent, alcohol, sometimes already in 80 per cent, alcohol (1 to 2 volumes). 



The difference in price between myrtole and eucalyptole is so considerable, that 

 above supplier's tactics paid well, even if he sold his "myrtole" very cheap. 



Nitrobenzene.— We mentioned in our last Bericht*) that freshly marked linen 

 caused symptoms of poisoning in babies. We are now told 3 ) that they were not due 

 to nitrobenzene, but to aniline. 



In two cases of acute poisoning with nitrobenzene, due to "Jamaica gingers" con- 

 taining this body, R. F. Loeb, A. V. Bock and R. Fitz 4 ) examined the blood. Methaemo- 

 globin was not present; the oxyhaemoglobin in the arterial blood was reduced to 6.2 



*) Dissertation, Bonn 1921. As per Apotheker-ZU/. 36 (1921), 510. — 2 ) Bericht (German) 1921, 67. — 

 3 ) Deutsche wed. Wochenschr. 47 (1921), 1526. As per Chem. Zentralbl. 1922, I, 480. — 4 ) Americ. Journj of the 

 Med. Science* 101 (1921), 539. As per Chem. Zentralhl. 1921, III, 968. 



