Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  1 
January,  18  6.  J 
Notes  and  News. 
53 
stirred  during  the  distillation,  and  the  acetone  formed  is  carried  off  by  a  current 
of  indifferent  gas  (such  as  generator  gas,  water  gas  or  superheated  steam).  The 
mixture  of  gas  and  vapor  passes  through  a  box  where  dust  is  deposited,  after 
which  the  acetone  is  condensed.  The  crude  product  is  purified  by  mixing  it 
with  water,  which  dissolves  the  acetone  and  leaves  the  tarry  impurities  undis- 
solved. After  these  have  been  removed,  the  clear,  aqueous  solution  is  sub- 
mitted to  fractional  distillation.  From  ioo  parts  of  acetate  of  lime,  25  to  26 
parts  of  pure  (99*5  per  cent.)  acetone  are  obtained.— Jour.  Soc.  Chem.  Industry, 
November  30,  1895. 
The  following  note  on  camphor  from  the  Kew  Bulletin,  of  November,  1895, 
will  throw  some  light  on  the  price  of  this  commodity: 
"The  increased  demand  for  this  substance,  which  is  obtained  by  distilla- 
lation  from  the  wood  of  Cinnamomum  Camphora,  a  tree  of  Japan  and  China,  has 
led  to  inquiries  being  addressed  to  Kew,  as  to  its  extended  cultivation  in  the 
Colonies.  It  grows  freely  in  Southern  Europe  and  is  suitable  for  planting  in 
any  warm  temperate  climate. 
"  The  following  note  is  extracted  from  the  British  North  Borneo  Herald, 
for  September  16,  1895: 
"  '  Nearly  twenty  years  ago  P'ormosa  camphor  was  quoted  at  $20  per  picul; 
but  from  various  causes,  chiefly  owing  to  the  invention  of  smokeless  gun- 
powder, in  the  manufacture  of  which  it  is  largely  used,  the  price  has  now  risen 
to  $79  per  picul.  In  this  connection  it  is  a  curious  fact  to  note  that  camphor, 
which  discharged  a  large  volume  of  carbon  during  combustion,  should  produce 
a  smokeless  compound.' 
"  The  cause  assigned  for  the  rise  of  price  proves  to  be  erroneous,  as  will  be 
seen  from  the  following  note,  for  which  Kew  is  indebted  to  Sir  Frederick 
Abel: 
"  *  Camphor  was  used  in  the  earliest  days  of  the  manufacture  of  a  successful 
smokeless  powder  for  artillery  and  small  arms;  but  its  employment  was  soon 
demonstrated  to  be  attended  with  serious  practical  disadvantages,  and  its  appli- 
cation for  this  purpose  can,  therefore,  not  be  said  to  have  been  other  than 
experimental,  and  of  no  great  importance  even  at  that  time,  as  affecting  the 
market  value  of  camphor.' 
"  '  This  substance  has,  however,  been  used  extensively  for  many  pears  past, 
and  no  doubt  in  continually  increasing  quantities,  for  the  conversion  of  collo- 
dion cotton  into  the  material  known  as  celluloid,  which  is  applied  to  the  man- 
ufacture of  imitation  ivory,  tortoise-shell,  horn,  and  a  great  variety  of  pur- 
poses.'" 
According  to  a  patent  of  F.  Bayer  &  Co.  (English  patent  No.  22,617,  Novem- 
ber 22,  1894),  the  patentees  had  formerly  found  that  acetylamido-phenyl  salicy- 
late does  not  possess  the  toxic  properties  of  salol,  and  can  be  substituted  for  it 
with  advantage.  They  now  find  that  the  lactylamidosalol  is  superior  to  the 
acetyl  compound,  owing  to  its  greater  solubility  in  water.  They  claim  the 
lactylamidophenyl  salts,  salts  of  salicylic  acid,  and  of  ortho-,  meta-  and  para- 
cresolcarboxylic  acids.  These  are  made  by  acting  on  amidosalol  or  the  corres- 
ponding compounds  of  the  cresolcarboxylic  acids,  with  lactic  acid,  lactic  anhy- 
dride, lactide,  or  an  ethereal  salt  of  lactic  acid.  They'  may  also  be  obtained 
from  lactatnide  and  a  salt  of  amidoialol.  - Jour.  Soc.  Chem.  Industry,  Novem- 
ber 30,  1895. 
