78 
Besorcin  and  its  A/lies. 
(  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\      Feb.,  1882. 
KESORCIN  AND  ITS  ALLIES. 
Eor  the  introduction  of  many  new  therapeutic  agents  we  are 
indebted  to  the  researches  of  German  chemists.  Resorcin,  for  example, 
has  of  late  attracted  considerable  attention  both  as  an  antiseptic  and 
antipyretic.  It  was  discovered  about  fifteen  or  twenty  years  ago^  by 
Hlasiwetz  and  Barth  of  Vienna,  who  obtained  it  by  fusing  galbanum 
resin  with  potash.  Being  isomeric  with  orcin,  a  substance  found  in 
the  lichens  used  for  making  litmus,  and  having  been  first  obtained 
from  a  resin,  it  received  the  name  of  resorcin.  It  is  also  known  as 
resorcenal,  whilst  its  full  chemical  title  is  metadioxylbenzene.  Its 
formula  is  CgIl4(IIO)2 ;  and  it  is  isomeric  with  hydrochinon,  a  sub- 
stance recently  introduced  by  Brieger  as  an  antipyretic.  Resorcin  is 
now  rarely  prepared  from  galbanum,  newer  and  better  modes  of 
manufacture  having  been  recently  introduced.  It  is  economically 
obtained  by  mixing  with  chalk  the  wash  and  mother  liquid  left  in  mak- 
ing brazilin  from  Brazil-wood,  evaporating  to  dryness,  and  subjecting 
the  residue  to  dry  distillation  ;  or  it  may  be  made  by  passing  the  vapour 
of  benzol  through  sulphuric  acid,  dibenzolsulphuric  acid  being  formed. 
It  is  used  in  large  quantities  in  the  manufacture  of  eosine  and  other 
coal-tar  dyes. 
Resorcin  is  a  neutral  crystalline  body,  soluble  in  water,  alcohol, 
ether,  and  in  fact,  in  all  fluids  with  the  exception  of  chloroform  and 
bisulphide  of  carbon.  It  crystallizes  only  from  very  concentrated 
solutions,  in  beautiful  little  feathery  crystals.  When  quite  pure  and 
freshly  prepared,  it  is  colorless  ;  but,  on  exposure  to  the  air,  it  quickly 
acquires  a  pinkish  color.  It  melts  at  210°  Fahr.,  boils  at  570° 
Fahr.,  and  distils  Avithout  residue.  It  has  a  strong,  peculiar,  sweet, 
and  somewhat  unpleasant  irritating  taste.  When  thrown  on  the  fire, 
it  burns  with  a  bright  flame.  A  very  characteristic  test  is  aflbrded  by 
dissolving  a  few  grains  in  fuming  sulphuric  acid.  An  orange-red 
solution  is  formed,  which  gradually  darkens,  and  changes  after  a  time, 
first  to  greenish-black,  and  then  to  pure  blue,  becoming  purple-red  on 
gently  warming. 
From  a  consideration  of  the  atomic  relations  existing  between 
resorcin  and  phenol.  Dr.  Julius  Andeer,  of  Wiirzburg,  was  led  to  sus- 
pect that  they  might  have  a  similar  physiological  action,  and  such,  on 
investigation,  proves  to  be  the  case.  A  1  per  cent,  solution  of  pure 
resorcin  arrests  almost  all  forms  of  fermentation.    Blood,  urine, 
