^SS^SST'}  Adulteration  of  Drugs.  15 
C.  to  570  C,  while  the  melting  point  of  pure  coumarin  is  670  C. 
On  heating  with  a  5  per  cent,  solution  of  potassium  hydrate  at  a 
temperature  of  about  6o°  C.  for  an  hour  the  odor  of  aniline  was 
developed  and  the  addition  of  a  solution  of  calcium  hypochlorite  to 
this  mixture  gave  the  blue  color  reaction  characteristic  of  aniline. 
On  applying  Hoffmann's  reaction  for  primary  amines  the  character- 
istic and  disagreeable  odor  of  phenylcarbylamine  was  obtained,  in- 
dicating the  presence  of  a  primary  amine.  The  percentage  of  nitro- 
gen was  estimated,  and  on  calculating  the  nitrogen  back  as  acetanilid 
it  was  found  to  amount  to  26  per  cent. 
Vanillin. — With  this  article  the  same  difficulty  was  experienced,  as 
mentioned  above,  in  connection  with  coumarin ;  namely,  the  sample 
submitted  was  of  excellent  quality,  while  the  consignment  of  goods 
ordered  from  this  sample  proved  to  be  a  substitution.  This  con- 
tract involved  several  thousand  dollars,  and  at  first  considerable 
difficulty  was  anticipated  in  getting  rid  of  this  substance,  which 
proved  upon  examination  to  consist  of  broken  crystals  of  acetyl  iso- 
eugenol,  the  direct  antecedent  of  vanillin  in  the  manufacture  of  the 
synthetic  product.  The  manufacturer,  however,  took  back  the 
goods  without  a  murmur  and  paid  all  expenses  involved,  including 
the  cost  of  analysis.  The  interesting  point  in  this  connection  is,  that 
the  melting  point  of  acetyl  iso-eugenol  is  780  C.,  while  pure  vanillin 
melts  at  from  8o°  to  820  C.  From  this  it  can  be  readily  seen  that, 
had  only  a  superficial  examination  been  made  of  the  goods  con- 
signed, they  would  readily  have  passed  as  vanillin,  inasmuch  as  the 
acetyl  iso-eugenol  had  been  mixed  with  a  certain  proportion  of 
vanillin  to  give  it  a  distinct  vanillin  odor.  The  following  methods 
were  employed  to  establish  this  impurity :  microscopically  the  crys- 
tals were  abnormal;  with  concentrated  sulphuric  acid  a  beautiful 
red  color  was  developed,  whereas  vanillin  gives  a  lemon-yellow  with 
this  reagent;  by  estimating  the  per  cent,  of  vanillin;  according  to 
the  method  of  Prescott  and  Hess ;  modified  by  the  writer  and  found 
in  the  American  Druggist,  March  10,  1899.  The  solubility  was 
also  abnormal,  and  the  presence  of  acetic  acid  was  established  by 
the  conventional  methods. 
Another  sample  of  vanillin  submitted  contained  90  per  cent,  of 
specially  prepared  benzoic  acid  and  10  per  cent,  of  vanillin.  This 
fraudulent  product  was  easily  detected  by  its  odor,  solubilities  and 
melting  point.   Acetanilid  is  frequently  met  with  as  an  adulterant  of 
