438 
Extracts  of  Vanilla  and  Lemon. 
(  A.m.  Jour.  Pharm. 
X  September,  1908. 
until  the  public  has  become  accustomed  to  them  so  that  a  cheap 
grade  is  even  more  desirable  to  the  misled  taste  than  one  of  the 
higher  price  and  standard.  Hence  can  we  say  that  the  manufacture 
and  use  of  these  is  wholly  out  of  order  ?  If  a  cheap  article  is  de- 
manded why  not  have  such  on  the  market  so  long  as  it  better  suits 
the  taste  and  pocket-book  of  the  consumer  and  at  the  same  time 
contains  nothing  injurious  to  health  and  is  sold  for  just  what  it  is. 
But  the  trouble  lies  in  the  fact  that  there  are  on  the  market  many 
brands  which  contain  gross  adulteration,  but  are  still  sold  under  the 
name  of  a  pure  article. 
In  the  case  of  vanilla  extract,  many  brands  are  prepared  from  a 
variety  of  substances  containing  a  small  amount  of  vanillin  with  a 
trace  of  coumarin,  which  is  derived  from  the  tonka  bean,  to  add 
a  hue  to  the  flavoring  and  caramel  or  a  coal-tar  product  to  give  the 
proper  shade  of  color. 
Scoville  says :  "  Vanillin  is  fully  equal  to  the  finest  bean,  but  is  too 
delicate  to  compare  with  natural  vanilla,  hence  the  use  of  coumarin 
to  bring  out  the  flavor."  Some  may  wonder  why  the  manufacturer 
is  so  prone  to  use  coumarin  for  this  purpose  in  preference  to  the  true 
vanilla.  This  is  easily  understood,  however,  when  we  know  that  the 
true  vanilla  beans  cost  from  $5  to  $10  per  pound,  while  tonka  beans, 
from  which  coumarin  is  obtained,  may  be  had  for  40  to  50  cents  per 
A  favorite  formula  with  many  for  the  manufacture  of  an  artificial 
Dil.  alcohol  q.  s.  ad  2%  gal. 
It  will  be  noted  that  in  this  formula  there  is  nothing  particularly 
injurious,  neither  is  there  anything  of  high  price,  but,  at  the  same 
time,  such  a  so-called  extract  meets  with  much  favor  in  the  hands  of 
the  public. 
Following  is  a  cheap  yet  very  clever  imitation  which  answers  the 
purpose  very  satisfactorily  and  at  the  same  time  is  far  from  being  the 
true  vanilla  extract : 
pound. 
grade  of  extract  is  the  following  : 
1.  Extract  of  tonka 
2.  Prunes  ...... 
3.  Rasins  
4.  Currants  
5.  Peru  balsam  .  .  .  . 
6.  Powdered  orris  root 
Molasses 
6  pints 
1  pound 
4  ounces 
3  " 
3  " 
4 
2  pints 
