188 PLANT AND ORGANIC CHEMISTRY 
ising commercial future deserve more than a passing notice. 
Liebrich observed that cholesterin fat possesses the peculiar 
property of being able to absorb more than 100 per cent, of 
water, and this singular property was denominated by the 
great pharmacologist, lanosation, while the cholesterin, mixed 
with water, w r as termed by him, lanolin. He also first called 
attention to the great therapeutical value of lanolin, and 
shortly afterwards the industrial production of pure lanolin 
was commenced by a Berlin firm, 1 and its manufacture has 
been of late steadily increasing. 
Lanolin is already talcing the place of vaseline, paraffine, 
and lard. Its efficacy has already been established beyond 
doubt, and its superiority is due to the extraordinary readiness 
with which it is absorbed by the skin. This property is not 
known to belong in a similar degree to any other fatty sub¬ 
stance. Besides the medicinal use, it has also been already 
introduced into various branches of industry, such as per¬ 
fumery, soaps, and pomades, also for greasing leather belting 
and for improving the pliability of leather. 
The history of the wholesale drug trade for the year 1886 
is one of the most remarkable on record, since 1879-80. In 
a late number of the “Druggist’s Circular,” 2 a summary is 
given of the year, from which I have taken some statements, 
from the table of prices, as follows: — 
January 1. 
December 15. 
July 1. 
Alcohol. 
. $2.10 
$2.17 
$2.09 
Camphor. 
.2 3 
22.25 
•23 
Gum arabic.. 
. 70 
•95 
.82I 
Morphine... 
. 2.25 
2.10 
1.90 
Vanilla bean. 
_ _ _10.00 
18.00 
12.00 
Copaiba balsam. 
- - -. 34 
.36 
•34 
Cubebs.. 
■. 90 
i -35 
•95 
Tragacanth. 
. 45 
.42 
• 37 i 
Senna leaves. 
■. 15 
.27J 
•30 
Golden-seal .. 
•. . *14 
.18 
•13 
Pink-root. 
•. 35 
• 47 § 
.60 
1 Messrs. Jaffe & Darmstadt er. 
2 The Druggist’s Circular and Chemical Gazette , January, 1887. 
