8 | REPORT OF SCHIMMEL & Co. OCTOBER 1914/ APRIL 1915. . a Ba 
Anise Oil, Russian. In our Reportst) we have repeatedly pointed out the 
advantages of Pharmacopoeias adopting, as far as possible, the active principles in 
place of the essential oils. In this respect we mentioned that anethol should take 
the place of Russian anise oil; the usefulness of the former is once again pointed 
out by O. Raubenheimer’). As we had done before, he states that one decided 
advantage of anethol is to be found in its being a uniform body of always uniform” 
composition which can be examined for quality and purity far more closely than 
anise oil. Moreover, its taste is sweeter and its odour far more pleasant than the 
best anise oil, and from a therapeutical point of view it is more advantageous, as it 
constitutes the medicinally active part of anise oil. The price, too, is more in 
accordance with its strength than is the case with anise oil. As regards the proper 
use of anethol in the manufacture of Liquor Ammoni anisatus, Raubenheimer, in 
his experience extending over many years, always found it to yield a clear and 
colourless solution, whereas with anise oil yellow discoloration and turbidity often 
occur, the latter ending in precipitation. He also observed that many anise oils 
dissolved in 5 to 6 parts of 90 p.c. alcohol only, whereas 2 volumes sufficed for a 
solution of anethol. We might add, that so far we have never come across such badly 
soluble anise oils, and that in our opinion Raubenheimer must have had to deal 
with adulterated oils. . 
Oil of Artemisia arborescens. The oil distilled by us some years ago from 
dried herb of Artemisia arborescens, L. (N. O. Compositae)?) has now been examined more 
closely by T. Jona‘). It contained 13,94 p.c. of alcohols CioHisO, free as well as in 
the form of esters, two of which were proved to be borneol (m. p. 203 to 205°; 
b. p. 212°) and thujyl alcohol (b. p. 211 to 212°; oxidation to thujone). The oil also 
contained 13 p.c. of 4-thujone ([@]p210-+ 76,02°), which boiled from 200 to 202° and 
yielded a tribromide melting at 122°. In the saponification lyes a mixture of fatty 
acids was present, presumably formic, acetic, zsovaleric, pelargonic, palmitic and 
stearic acids. 
Oil of Buchu Leaves. The following table shows the exports of buchu leaves 
from South Africa during the years 1907 to 1912°):— 
1907 291334 Ibs., value ¥ 9201 1910 273325 Ibs., value £ 24428 
1908 243472 ,, ea ret 4 3 | 1911. “242082 ~ 5 5» 29647 
1909 260126 _,, i » 9666 1912 2235021 | - 5, 38264 
The highest price (6/6 lb.) was paid in London in 1912 for selected leaves of 
Barosma betulina. 
The exports from the various ports were as follows in 1912: — 
From Cape Town . . . 221338 Ibs. value £ 38166 
, Port Elizabeth: a. Sth ait aS 2 
7. Mossel Bay (23-2 163245 en oN 96 
223021 Ibs., value # 38264 
Oil of Barosma venusta. This oil, the composition of which H. R. Jensen‘) 
investigated some time ago, has been examined recently by E. Goulding and 
1) See i.a. Report April 1911, 125, 127. — 2%) Americ. Perfumer 9 (1914), 22. — %) Report November 
1908, 136. — 4) Ann. Chimica appl. 1 (1914), Il. 631. — 5) Kew Bull. 1914, 194. — °) Pharmaceutical Journ. 
90 (1913), 60; Report April 1918, 34. 
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