„ 2 hours „ 



3 „ 



4 „ 



5 „ „ 



6 „ 



8 ;, 



149.8 = 64.2 



per 



cent, ester 



190.4 = 81.6 



» 



» » 



210.0 = 90.0 



n 



'»> » 



218.4 = 93.6 



» 



» » 



229.6 = 98.4 



» 



» » 



232.4 = 99.5 



„ 



» » 



233.8 = 100.2 







90 Report of Schimmel $ Co. April /October 1917. 



semi-normal caustic potash sufficed, whereas for 1.5 g. menthylester 60 ccm. semi- 

 normal caustic potash and a saponification period lasting 6 hours were necessary. 

 Under these conditions, bornylvalerate gave about 93 per cent, ester and 6 per cent, 

 free borneol. The free borneol content was calculated from the saponification number 

 increased by acetylation. Menthyl valerate had an ester content of 99 to 100 per cent, 

 and accordingly the saponification number was not raised by acetylation. 



The isovaleric esters of o-cresol and thymol gave after 3 hours' saponification by 

 the aid of 30 ccm. of caustic potash values reaching 99 to 100 per cent. 



Accordingly, it is imperative to boil for 3 hours using 30 ccm. of semi-normal 

 caustic potash in order to terminate the operation when using 1.5 g. of isovaleric esters 

 and in the case of menthylvalerate 6 hours' boiling and 60 ccm. of caustic liquor are 

 indispensible. When saponifying menthylisovalerate which is so exceedingly stable 

 towards alkali, with 60 ccm. seminormal potash liquor, the following values were ob- 

 tained in the course of the process: — 



after one hour acid value 0, ester value 149.8 

 „ 0, „ 



,-, o, „ 

 „ o, „ 



i, o, „ 



„ o, „ 



Cinnamaldehyde. P. G. Unna 1 ) recommends a mixture of sagrotan 2 ) and cinnam- 

 aldehyde as a remedy for itch and similar irritation. The scabies-mite is not destroyed 

 by partial sterilisation with sagrotan, on the contrary, in cases in which, besides scabies, 

 eczematic papulae and small blisters are present and give the false impression of a 

 pseudoscabies, the characteristic appearance of the mite-runs comes fully to light under 

 the sagrotan-application. By the addition of cinnamaldehyde to the sagrotan solution 

 one obtains, however, a solution which acts as an anti-scabietic; it forms a fine golden- 

 yellow, very frothy emulsion which leaves, after application, a thin residue on the skin 

 in which the cinnamaldehyde by contact with the air becomes oxidized to cinnamic 

 acid 3 ). By adding small quantities of zinc oxide and chalk, one can greatly increase 

 the anaemising and accordingly anti-itching effect of the the sagrotan and improve the 

 formation of a coating containing cinnamic acid. The prescription runs as follows: — 



Cinnamaldehydum 1 



Calc. carbon 10 



Zinci oxid. . . . . . 10 



Sagrotan 10 



Aq. dest. ad. ... . 100 



M.f. Lotio Sagrotani contra scabiem. 



The mixture only produces a slight burning feeling on the spots that have been 

 scratched. The anti-itching effect commences at once, the mite-killing effect is terminated 

 in 24 to 48 hours, if the compound is applied daily several times on all itching spots. 



l ) Dermatol. Wochenschr. 64 (1914), 234. — 2 ) According to the manufacturers, sagrotan is a highly, 

 effective disinfectant like lysol. It is a soap solution which contains as an efficacious component a molecular 

 mixture of chloroxylenol and chlorocresol and is said to have the "double efficacy of both the chemical 

 components added together". (Prakt. Pharm. 11 [1914], 44.) — 3 ) Cinnamic acid, balsam Peru, storax, benzyl 

 and cinnamyl cinnamates act, according to Unna, as antiscabietics. 



