Scientific and other notes on essential oils. 81 



product is undoubtedly by no means harmless, aa experiments have proved 1 ), even if 

 from a therapeutic standpoint it can be regarded as non-poisonous. 



The manufacturer's confession that his product was not intended to be of equal 

 money value as the genuine oil, was also a point of interest to us, because to judge 

 from another of his letters he maintained the point of view that the effect of his oil 

 was the same as that of the genuine product, which comes to the same as saying 

 that it was a complete substitute for the genuine article. Our expert opinion was 

 probably the cause that the gentleman became more modest in his views. 



An essay by P.Trendelenburg 2 ) entitled, "On the effect of santonin and its derivatives 

 on the muscles of worms, and remarks on the effect of Oleum ckenopodii" contains, 

 besides a description of the effect of santonin and its derivatives on the muscles of 

 worms, the frog's heart, and the nervous system of. mammalia, some particulars on 

 the effect of American wormseed oil 3 ). He even succeeded in depicting the effect 

 graphically. However, a description of his method (which bases in the main on the 

 isolation of the muscular system of the worms) would take up too much of our available 

 space, hence for particulars we must refer the reader to the original paper. The 

 paralyzing effect of chenopodium oil is not of a central nature, as Trendelenburg was 

 able to prove on an isolated preparation of an ascaris muscle, deprived of its nerves; 

 even in that case the isolated strip of muscle is paralyzed by the chenopodium oil 

 and quicWy loses its flexibility. Rain-worms which were immersed in an emulsion 

 of chenopodium oil were just as easily paralyzed as the preparation of the ascaris 

 muscle. A solution of 1:500 paralyzed them in 5 minutes; in the ratio of 1:1000, in 

 the space of V 2 to 3 / 4 of an hour; in the ratio of 1:4000, in about 2 hours; a solution 

 in the ratio of 1 : 8000 only leads to a reduction of their movements, whereas a solution 

 in the ratio of 1:16000 not only has no paralyzing effect, but acts as a stimulant. 



It was further possible to show in the experiments on the muscles of worms that 

 the stimulating effect which preceeds the paralysis is also peripheral in nature. This 

 stimulating effect in strong concentration (in the ratio of 1:1000) is just as strong as 

 in concentrated solutions of santonin, but it only lasts a very short time; in a few 

 minutes the muscle is completely paralyzed, with reduction of the tonus. 



In weaker concentrations, in the ratio of 1:10000 to 1:50000, which latter neither 

 paralyze the whole worm nor the isolated strip of muscle, the muscular system is 

 strongly stimulated for many hours, whereby curves are obtained which are equal to 

 those produced by santonin. 



Accordingly, the effect of chenopodium oil on the stimulation of the muscles of 

 worms is dependant on the use of weak concentrations, as in the case of santonin, 

 paralysis following on the use of stronger ones. 



Wormwood Oil. Our Miltitz fields have supplied us abundantly with an excellent 

 oil, owing to which we can afford to dispense with the unavailable American shipments. 

 The area planted with wormwood can be extended according to the demand, so that 

 there is no fear of any scarcity. 



x ) Comp. Report April 1907, 102; October 1911, 97; October 1912, 113; October 1915, 42; October 1916, 61. 

 — 2 ) Arch.f. exper. Pathol, u. Pharmahol. 79 (1915), 190. According to a separate copy kindly forwarded to us. — 

 3 ) Comp. Report October 1916, 61. 



