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CHEMICAL PREPARATIONS AND DRUGS. 59 
packing in order to be tested. The wording of the label, which we copy here literally 
with all its mistakes, ran as follows: — 
ETABLISSEMENT CHIMIQUE 
FONDE EN 1880 
GIRARD & BLONET 
PAR US 
VANILLINE CRISTALLISEE 
GARANTIE PURE LE 100/00 Km. 
eee 
Exstraits Essences Huiles Ethers 
DIRECTION: Rut MontTrParRnassE N.18 
FABRIQUE: RveE BorssrErReE N. 62 
ADRESSE TELEGRAPHIQUE GIRARD & BLONET 
The great inferiority of the stuff was disclosed from the very beginning by the 
fact that it had no uniform melting point. It began to soften at about 70° and was 
not completely melted even at 95°, whereas pure vanillin melts distinctly between 80 
and 84°. On further examination we found to our surprise that the largest part of the 
product was salicylic acid, which was characterized by its melting point (about 1579%), 
as well as by transforming it into its methyl ester. It was possible to determine the 
quantity of salicylic acid with the aid of sodium bicarbonate, with which it reacts, 
whereas vanillin does not. For this purpose the product was dissolved in ether and 
the solution shaken with a saturated solution of sodium bicarbonate until the evolution 
of carbon dioxide had completely ceased. The aqueous solution, in which the salicylic 
acid was present as sodium salt, was then separated from the ethereal one, acidulated 
with dilute sulphuric acid and repeatedly treated with ether. The ethereal extracts, which 
contained all the salicylic acid, were put together and shaken for some time with a 
solution of sodium bisulphite, in order to get rid of the traces of vanillin, which migth 
mechanically have passed into the solution. After having removed the sodium bisulphite 
solution, the ether was distilled off and the residue dried and powdered. From 100 g. 
of material, 82 g. of salicylic acid were thus obtained, which melted exactly between 
156 and 157°. As mentioned already, it was further identified through its methyl ester. 
Another sample was at the same time used, with the aid of p-bromophenylhydrazine 
and following the prescriptions of J. HanuS*), to determine the amount of real vanillin 
contained in the product. It came to about 18 p.c., in accordance with the result of 
above test. 
Taking into consideration that 1 kilo of vanillin cost at the time more than 50 -%, 
and salicylic acid not more than 2.50 -%, the profit made on this swindle must have 
been enormous, even if the price was cut down very low. It is to be hoped that not 
too many buyers were caught with this ‘vanillin’, which might more appropriately be 
advertised as a “rheumatism cure with vanilla flavour”. 
The dissimilar behaviour when melting vanillin from clove oil and vanillin from 
guayacol, induced M. Lehmann?) to study these differences more closely. He points 
1) Zeitschr. Untersuch. d. Nahrungs- u. Genussm. 8 (1900), 531; Chem. Zentralbl. 1900, II, 693. — 2%) Chem. 
Ztg. 38 (1914), 388, 402. 
