26  Peru  Balsam  and  Its  Adulteration.     \ Al?-  J°ur-  p£"m- 
\    January,  1921. 
after  adding  hydrochloric  acid  to  the  ether-sulphuric  acid  layers. 
The  adulterated  balsam  showed  a  blue  colored  layer. 
One  of  our  pharmaceutical  firms  supplied  me  with  benzoyl- 
benzoate,  which  according  to  the  statement  of  the  firm,  was  used 
for  the  preparation  of  substitutes  for  peru  balsam.  It  is  obvious 
that  if  benzoyl-benzoate  is  used  for  adulteration  a  normal  number 
for  the  saponification  number  of  the  cinnamein  is  found  on  analy- 
sis as  benzoyl-benzoate  is  one  of  the  principle  constituents  of  cin- 
namein. However,  I  found  that  the  received  benzoyl-benzoate 
and  also  a  preparation  of  one  of  the  laboratories  of  our  university 
showed  a  strong  fluorescein  reaction  with  resorcinol  and  sulphuric 
acid,  probably  because  the  preparations  were  made  with  benzoic 
acid,  prepared  from  phtalic  acid.  Anyhow,  an  adulteration  may  be 
detected  by  this  test. 
Another  product,  appearing  on  the  market  as  Balsamum 
peruvianum  syntheticum  (the  manufacturers  seem  to  have  a  pe- 
culiar notion  of  the  word  synthesis)  gave  on  analysis  by  my  assist- 
ant Miss  M.  le  Coultre,  the  following  results : 
Acid  number    48.1 
Saponification  number   220.4 
Cinnamein  in  %    64.0% 
Saponification  number  of  the  cinnamein    254 
Refractive  index  of  the  cinnamein    1.5682 
From  a  mixture  of  3  vol.  of  this  balsam  and  1  vol.  carbon- 
disulphide  a  kind  of  jelly  separated  out. 
Five  drops  of  balsam  shaken  with  8  cc.  petroleum  ether  sep- 
arated a  powder,  and  some  of  the  balsam  stuck  to  the  walls  of  the 
tube. 
The  fluorescein  reaction  was  stronger  than  with  the  unadul- 
terated balsam.  Dietrich's  test  gave  a  pretty  green  ring  reaction 
which  became  greenish  blue  on  addition  of  hydrochloric  acid. 
Notwithstanding  the  normal  figures  obtained  with  the  quanti- 
tative analysis,  this  preparation  was  recognized  by  the  qualitative 
tests  as  an  artificial  product.  It  was  made  undoubtedly  with 
benzoyl-benzoate. 
I  was  told  that  genuine  peru  balsam  did  not  find  buyers; 
whereas,  the  so-called  synthetic  preparations  were  easily  sold.  I 
hope  that  the  Dutch  apothecaries  will  keep  their  high  standing  by 
not  buying  these  preparations. 
