'^""j/nulry^^™: }    Denaturing  Bay  Rum  and  Toilet  Waters.  19 
At  the  conference  of  the  technical  experts  present  in  Washington 
a  number  of  materials  were  discussed  as  possible  modifying  agents 
for  this  class  of  preparations.  Among  those  mentioned  were  the 
chlorides  of  zinc  and  cadmium.  Objections  were  made  to  the  use 
of  these  mineral  salts  upon  the  ground  that  they  would  possibly 
act  upon  and  modify  the  perfume  constituents,  and  also  cause  pre- 
cipitates in  the  preparations,  and  there  was  likewise  an  uncer- 
tainty as  to  the  toxicity  of  these  salts. 
Saccharin  in  relatively  large  quantities  was  suggested  as  a 
modifying  agent.  The  extreme,  disagreeable  sweetness  and  acridity 
that  this  would  produce  would  possibly  render  such  medicated  bay 
rum  or  toilet  water  unfit  for  beverage  purposes,  but  the  persistent 
sweetness  produced  when  applied  to  the  face  and  lips  would  be  ob- 
jectionable and  render  the  product  unfit  for  its  legitimate  use. 
Formaldehyde  was  another  of  the  possible  agents  considered, 
but  objection  was  made  as  to  the  possibility  of  this  having  a  dele- 
terious action  upon  the  perfume  oils  and  chemicals  of  the  formulas. 
Salicylic  acid  was  another  suggestion  that  did  not  meet  with  a 
cordial  reception  because  of  its  proneness  to  react  with  other  chem- 
icals and  to  undergo  change  and  possible  darkening  in  solution. 
Phenolphthalein  was  suggested  by  someone,  but  its  well-known 
color  reactions  with  alkalies  preclude  serious  consideration.  After 
shaving  or  washing  with  soap  the  application  of  a  toilet  water  so 
medicated  would  produce  a  distinct  purple  or  red  discoloration  of 
the  skin  as  well  as  staining  towels  and  clothing  to  which  it  might 
be  applied. 
Among  vegetable  drugs  possibly  useful  as  denaturants,  soap  bark 
;and  colocynth  are  worthy  of  consideration;  the  latter  especially  ap- 
pears to  give  satisfactory  results  from  our  experiments.  In  the 
proportion  of  two  grains  to  the  fluid  ounce  it  renders  the  filtered 
bay  rum  sufficiently  disagreeable  and  unpleasant  to  render  it  unfit 
for  beverage  purposes  and  does  not  appear  to  affect  injuriously 
either  the  color  or  odor  of  the  preparation.  It  would  appear  as 
likely  to  serve  as  a  suitable  modifying  or  denaturing  agent  for  per- 
fumes and  alcoholic  liquid  toilet  preparations. 
