5. sae Breen | ty Ge, Ebi, tS ai Nie aa 
ape Be FIC AND OTHER NOTES ON ESSENTIAL OILS. Peay oo? OL, 
NM Reneecd Oil, Agiericaa Oaies the greatest orerenee we have succeeded in 
setting a small lot of a reliable oil from the United States, but it was in no way 
ficient: to ‘satisfy the demand. The numerous users of this important vermifuge will 
have to arm themselves with patience for some time to come, for the quantities under 
way are also rather limited. This year’s distillation is in full swing, but although 
noth ing is known as yet about the result to be expected, it may safely be predicted 
tha ty owing to the active demand and the unfavourable rates of exchange, higher prices 
4 e to be reckoned with rather than lower ones. 
STi trade with American par nsecd oil still bredents the old aspect, 2.c. all the 
Sz n Beate submitted to us for examination in the course of last year were substitutes 
i without exception, chiefly composed of eucalyptole, anethole, menthol and amyl acetate 
and in which the characteristic components of the genuine wormseed oil were con- 
sp icuous by their absence. When reading in the pharmaceutical press the numerous 
offers of vermifuges, prepared with American wormseed oil, one is bound to wonder 
Ww ftiether the manufacturers have not in many cases been the victims of a shameless ~ 
fi raud. The good renown of the genuine oil is thus greatly injured. 
=) 
Z We have often had an opportunity to give our opinion as to the value of wormseed 
ii as a vermifuge, but we want nevertheless to acquaint our readers with an article 
by y J. e Umney’), called Thymol versus Chenopodium Oil, although it results already from 
a fommnianication of Schiiffner and Vervoort’*), published some,time ago, on experiments 
made in Deli (Sumatra) with 1457 people, that eet oil proved SUpeHDE to all 
a other remedies. 
_ Umney discusses the reports that have ‘been panlished 6 on the. ectient of miners’ 
pookworm disease in Fiji, Trinidad and the Seychelles. , 
The Trinidad Committee chiefly used thymol mixed with an sual quantity of 
Eddie bicarbonate, both finely powdered. It was given in two equal doses at 6 a.m. 
and 8a.m., being preceded the night before, and followed at 10 a.m., by a purge. 
The normal dose for an adult was 40 g..with a maximum of 60 g. Owing to children 
cating the treatment, a preliminary aperient was abolished and at 6 a.m. one minim | 
| f oil of chenopodium for each year of apparent age was given and at the same time 
le 7. of castor oil. The number of cases treated with chenopodium oil was very 
small against those with thymol. Anyway the report states that the oil of chenopodium 
a proved. only half as efficient as thymol in rendering the patient’s stool free from ova of 
hook-worms, but the chenopodium oil had the distinct advantage of removing Ascaris 
lu bricoides from a large number of ‘the children. 
4 Umney sees the very low tery of the chenopodium oil in the unusually small 
lose administered. 
However, a very different account came from Fiji. During 1917, oil of chenopodium 
vas is exclusively used in the treatment of 1818 cases. There was no doubt, the report 
Says, of the superiority of chenopodium oi! compared with thymol or any other drug — 
litherto tried. It possesses the additional value that it is the most potent destroyer 
the round worm and was used with the greatest success in the treatment of horses. 
: Tamanua hospital found the most efficient method for treatment .in doses of 
Salty 15 minims in capsule at 5.30, 6.30 and 7.30 a. m., preceded. and followed by 
M aperient with no food whatever during the period of treatment. This is called 
a 
me 
_ 7) Perfum. Record 10 (1919), 139. — 2) Miinch. med. Wochenschr. 60 (1913), 129; Report October 1918, 108. 
ce also Reports October 1916, 61; April/October 1917, 80; April/October 1918, 52. 
ae 7 
