Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  ) 
February,  1914.  / 
Book  Reviews. 
85 
dyes,  and  (b)  a  crystalloidal  or  crystal-like  material  giving  a  blue 
color  with  iodine. 
2.  The  starch  grain  is  made  up  of  concentric  layers,  one  series 
of  which  contains  a  large  proportion  of  crystalloids,  while  the 
alternate  layers  are  composed  mostly  of  colloids. 
3.  The  polarization  effects  produced  by  starch  are  probably  to 
be  attributed  to  the  crystalloidal  character  of  the  grains. 
4.  The  starch  grains  retain  their  polarizing  properties  even  when 
heated  up  to  a  temperature  of  1800  C,  which  seems  very  remarkable 
indeed. 
5.  At  the  higher  temperatures  the  potato  starch  grains  give 
chromatic  effects  in  addition,  similar  to  those  when  a  selenite 
plate  is  used. 
6.  While  heating  the  starch  grains  in  water  rapidly  changes  the 
structure  of  the  grain,  it  is  only  by  the  addition  of  chemicals  or 
ferments  that  dextrinization  is  brought  about. 
BOOK  REVIEWS. 
Semi-Annual  Report  on  Essential  Oils,  Synthetic  Per- 
fumes, &c.  Published  by  Schimmel  &  Co.  (Fritzsche  Brothers), 
Miltitz  near  Leipzig.    London,  New  York.    October,  1913. 
In  the  introduction  to  this  report  an  admirable  resume  is  given 
of  conditions,  both  favorable  and  adverse,  which  affected  business 
in  the  last  year  and  particularly  as  to  commodities  handled  by  this 
firm. 
As  is  known  to  well-informed  pharmacists,  the  practice  of 
sophistication  is  found  in  many  branches  of  business  but  in  none 
so  much  as  in  the  essential  oil  industry.  In  fact,  one  is  almost  led 
to  believe  that  adulteration  of  oils  and  perfumes  is  an  industry  in 
itself.  Upward  movement  of  prices  is  the  dominant  cause  for  this, 
and,  as  is  always  the  way,  the  forces  of  evil  and  dishonesty  are  up 
and  doing,  and  "  the  practice  of  adulteration  is  assuming  dimen- 
sions, and  is  pursued  with  refinements  of  ingenuity  that  baffle  de- 
scription." So  cleverly  are  adulterants  selected  and  manipulated 
that  the  constants  of  an  adulterated  oil  are  kept  within  the  right 
limits  of  value  and  only  a  most  thorough  examination  will  show  the 
true  state  of  affairs.  Artificial  esters  play  an  important  part  in  this 
nefarious  work ;  for  instance,  when  added  to  oils  such  as  lavender 
