iy A ND oy 
42 REPORT OF SCHIMMEL & Co. OCTOBER 1915. 
but the mixture with concentrated sulphuric acid assumed a light yellow shade. We 
consider the use of heliotropin a failure, for it offers no advantage over the ordinary 
sulphuric acid test. The violet coloration observed upon the addition of alcohol, and 
which Watson and Sayre consider as being specially characteristic for gaultheria oil, 
is of no importance whatsoever, for it shows itself as soon as sulphuric acid is meth i. 
in contact with heliotropin solution. 
We repeat it, these colour reactions may possibly be found useful for distin awichiee 
natural wintergreen oil from the artificial product, which is certainly of some use. But 
as soon as one has to deal with mixtures of both oils, these tests will fail in most 
cases, seeing that colour shades would have to be depended upon from which definite 
conclusions could only be drawn in exceptional cases. To show what value is attached 
to these colour tests in other directions, we refer to a remark made by H. Gesell *) 
in a criticism concerning the same subject. He believes that it would be easy to add 
substances to the artificial methyl salicylate which would not betray their presence 
by their odour, and which would yet produce the coloration characteristic for the 
natural oil. For, as he ascertained by experiments, the natural ester, when isolated 
from the oils in its pure form, behaved in exactly the same way as did the artificial 
ester in the presence of the various reagents, thus proving that the colouring is due 
to secondary constituents. 
Wormseed Oil, American. This oil appears to maintain its predominating position 
on the list of the numerous vermifuges. In 1913 a brisk demand in the following 
year had been anticipated and the producers in Carrol county, Maryland, as well as 
the middlemen in New York had considerable stocks at their disposal. Exports, however, 
to the belligerent countries being conspicuous by their absence, brought great disap- 
pointment to all interested parties and in the course of last year prices receded from 
§ 1.85 to § 1.35. It was only in May this year that the oil began to attract a little 
more, though partly speculative attention and once again to reach a price level which 
left a margin of profit to the producers. The last price quoted by New York was 
§ 2.— per lb. Unfortunately no statistical data are available as to the extent of the 
1914 and 1915 crops. 
In the course of the last few months two samples of oil were submitted to our 
laboratories for examination. Both had been offered to our customers as American 
wormseed oil, but in reality they had but the name in common with this article. To 
judge from the odour which did not remind in the least little degree of wormseed oil, 
we had to deal with mixtures of eucalyptus and anise oil. Unfortunately in both 
instances but very small samples had been placed at our disposal, so that we had to 
confine ourselves to the determination of specific gravity and optical rotation, points 
from which, however, no conclusions could be drawn in either case as regards quality 
of the oil. We refrain, therefore, from mentioning the values ascertained, suffice it 
to have pointed out these “substitutes”, so as to put buyers of American wormseed 
oil on their guard. 
In our Report October 1915, page 107, we communicated particulars about an 
adulteration with cineol, observed by us some time previously. 
Experimental examinations concerning the poisoning properties of American worm- 
seed oil (chenopodium oil) have been carried out by W. Salant and E. K. Nelson’). 
1) Americ. Perfumer 10 (1915), 33. — 2) Amer, Journ. Physiol. 86 (1915), 440; Chem. Zentralbl. 1915, Il. 36. 
