— 19 — 
The export of cassia and star -anise oils in 1903 shows a striking 
I decline, which is difficult to explain. According to the statistics available, 
the shipments from China were: — 
1903 2082 piculs 
against „ 1902 . .3635 
1901 6423 
1900 4201 „ 
1899 3374 
1898 4461 „ 
1897 4967 n 
1896 4177 „ 
1895 2931 „ 
1894 4439 
If the situation is judged by these figures, the conclusion would 
be favourable for the future of these two Chinese oils. 
In the examination of cassia oils we have recently had repeated 
opportunities of observing that in China the admixture of small 
quantities of colophonium to the oil is again being practised. The 
oils in question were suspected chiefly on account of the somewhat 
larger distillation-residue (above 1 1%), as well as the higher acid number; 
some of them also formed fairly considerable precipitates when the 
alcoholic solution (i in 3) was decomposed with alcoholic saturated 
solution of acetate of lead^), whereas in the case of pure oil no 
precipitate is produced. We can strongly recommend for this purpose 
the test with alcoholic solution of lead acetate, but we would call 
attention to the fact that the solution does not keep, and is best 
prepared fresh on each occasion. 
As in spite of this, the examined oils showed a fairly high aldehyde- 
content, and the adulteration therefore appears to be only in the early 
stages, we have so far taken no objection, but in future every oil of 
this character will be rejected. 
A short time ago Han us 2) published a very exact method for the 
quantitative estimation of cinnamic aldehyde, — a determination which 
up to now has only been carried out by the bisulphite method indic- 
ated by us. His process is based on the separation and the determin- 
ation by gravimetrical analysis of the cinnamic aldehyde as semi- 
oxamazone, and it is carried out as follows: — 
^) Hirschsohn's reaction. Comp. Gildemeister and Hoffmann, "The 
Volatile Oils" p. 388. 
^) Zeitschrift fiir Untersuchung der Nahrangs- und GenuBmittel sowie der Ge- 
brauchsgegenstande 6(1903), 817. 
2 * 
