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Vincent, Esq., K.C, B.A., L.Ph., Deputy Minister of Inland Revenue. Sm,— I beg to hand you a report concerning 17 samples of Witch Hazel Water, otherwise known as distiUed Extract of Witch Hazel; the Aqua ^ •^»' dis of the U.S.P. and Liquor Hamamelidis of the B.P. The attention of this Department has been called to oonsidt.. : ^-laed sales of the article within recent years, and it ha» been suggested that th. act li fact it is, may be the result of increasing difficulty in obtaining alcohou.: beverages, due to provincial legislation. The Witch Hazel water of the U.S.P. contains 15 per cent of alcohol; and the Solution of Hamamelis (Liquor Hamamelidis) of the B.P. con- tains about 18 per cent alcohol. An approximation to the U.S.P. article seems alone to be in evidence so far as this collection indicates. It seemed justifiable to investigate the matter in view of the above, and the small number of samples now reported were submitted to examination by Mr. Westman of this staff. His interesting report follows: Sir, — I beg herewith to present a report dealing with the examination of 17 samples of " Aqua Hamamelidis," known as Hamamelis Water or Distilled Witch Hazel. These samples were all collected in the cities of Montreal and Toronto during January and February of this year. Such slight analytical data as was found available on this subject and such references to the medicinal and therapeutic effect of this extract as might be considered of value are presented. As far as seems reasonable, from existing data, the question of the possible misuse of this product as a beverage is dealt with. OfieM Preparations of DutUltd Witch Haxel Aqua HaiMmelidiB is a product derived fiom •team distillation of the bark, leaver or other paxU of the ahrub known as Hamamelis virgimana Linn* (Fam. Hamamelidaceae). It grows naturally over wide areas in the Eastern States and in Canada. The leaves are usually collected in autunm and may be used either fresh or dried. Both b_rk ?nd leaves have an astringent taste. The leaves themselves have no very characteristic odour while the dm- tillate therefrom has a quite distinct odour. Collection in autumn is usual as at that period of the year the leaves are said to have reached their maximum tannin content. Squires Companion to the B.P., 1918, p. 698, states that the leaves yield 8 to 10 per cent tannin and the bark 6 per cent ash. The British Pharmacopoeia, 1914, p. 223, defines Liquor Hamamelidis as follows : ( Freeh Hamamelis Leaves 1>000 g. DistiUed water 2,000 mils. Alcohol (90 per cent) 160 mils. The leaves are macerated 24 hours and then 1,000 mils are distilled. It is to be noted that fresh leaves are official and that the alcohol is added before and is present during maceration. In the U.SJ*., 1916, p. 68, the same product is defined as "A saturated aqueous liquid obtained by distilling with steam or water the bark, twigs, smaller stems, or the entire shrub of Hamamelis virgiiiiana, collected in the autumn and adding 160 mils, of alcohol to each 850 mils, of distillate." No mention is made of the amount of bark to be taken and such wide latitude is given that it may be inferred that the whole process is only a matter of form. In the 1906 edition of the U.S.P. quantities were stated and were relatively the same as those at inweent official in the B.P. It would appear then that the tendency was to rule out eventually distilled witch hazel from official pharma- copoeial preparations in the United States. Specific Properties and Testa for Distilled Witch Hazel. The range of Sp. Gr. is given in the TT.S.P. 1916 as from 0-979 to 0982 at 26° C. At 16° C. the Sp. Gr. should run from 0960 to 0-986, according to the Squires' Companion to B.P. 1908. These ranges have no particular significance, as the only factor which changes the Sp. Gr. that may reasonably be considered is the alcohol content. If the proper amount of (90 per cent.) alcohol has been added the product as sold should cont"^?^ about 14 per cent alcohol by volume. In particular, witch hazel should '-« free from formalde- hyde and methyl alcohol as it is sometimes prescrib'.a as an eye lotion. Any dissolved impurities are given a semi-official limit of 0-025 g. per 100 mils. Scientific literature makes very few references to witch haxel and the only semi-specific test is one given by C. Glucksman, Chem. Abst. 1913, p. 214. This test works well on genuine liquid extracts of the bark and preparations of like nature containing e3rtract of witch hazel but does not apply to the dis- tilled product. The constituents responsible for the test are either non-volatile or are broken down during distillation. The test itself consists in diluting a few drops of witch hazel extract with 6 mils, of glycerin and adding 100 mils. of water. If a few mils, of this solution are now treated with exoees ammonia a rose-red colour appears which rapidly changes to brown and then to yellow. If the solution of the extract is saturatfid with sodium bi-carbonate no change takes place while cold ; on warming, llie mixture turns greenish brown. .1 !l DwcuMton of AnciytUal Data Obtained. Experimental work wa. carried out on the determination of «ikoh^ by yariou* method-. The alcohol content of various sample', wa. detenu ned by (1) further direct distillation, (2) prcyious treatment of the sample with dilute soda solution and boiling under a reflux condenser for one hour, and (8) the official method of shaking up the solution with concentrated bnne and low boiling point petrolic ether. As far as could be determined all these methods gave the same r«ult after due allowance was made *<>'.*»»« ^•^••'!^ J?" range of probable error in the manipulation wa» oonsiderei Undoubtedly some aromatic product which may possibly be specific to witch hazel is present in this distillate. It* quantity, however, mu«t be exceedingly small by weight although still suiEcient to produce both a peculiar taste and odour. In other words, if there is any oil, terpene. or other defined organic compound present in tho distiUate it is not held there in suBBcient concentration to be detected by any variation in the method of determining alcohol. It is just possible, however, that by very fine specific gravity determinations the organic mutter present other than alcohol might be measured. Steam distillation of a variety of woody materials would give the same type of distillate. Organic matter other than alcohol is present in sufficient amount to form a brown colorreU ring of varyirf? intensity, when brought in contact with concentrated sulphuric acid. An otlier extract of 60 mils, of distilled witch hazel when allowted to evaporate at room temperature in an open dish retains an odour more or less like that of the original distillate. When samples were examined by the Zeiss immereion ref ractometenr the readings obtained wen, duplicates of thoee obtaim^d from similar alcoholic solutions and no methyl alcohol was found preeent Distillates from the bark and leaves were prepared according to official methods by Mr. R. M. Rowat of this staff and were examined previous to the addition of alcohol. They gave the same specific gravity to within very close limits as distilled water. The difference noted being little more than 00001 on an average of four determinations. No difference was noted between refrac- tometer readings on these solutions and on distilled water. Alcohol added to these resolutions was again determined to 01 per cent by direct distillation. Prwuming that ite total organic matter preeent in the distillate originating from the plant comes over as an unchanged, powerful, therapeutic substance it would be present in very small concentration. It is more than probable that what organic matter does come over is partially broken down. None of the tannic acid is carried over in the steam and the loss of this specific constituent of the extract leaves the so-called valuable constituents of the distillate rather speculative. . In no sample was the presence of formaldehyde detected. During the pro- cedure it was noted that when a few drops of resorcinol T.S. were mixed with a few mils, of witch hazel distillate and were brought in contact with concen- trated sulphuric acid a ring formed between the layers giving a line varying in intensity from brown to yellow. One sample which was heavily scented with oils gave a heavy white milky cloud in the resorcinol witch hazel layer. Some idea of certain of the organic matters present was obtained from a comparison of the intensity of these rings over a certain time under standard conditions. This was done by comparing standard preparations made in this laboratory with others obtained on the market. All the possible variables were by no means exhausted and the significance of the rings formed may not have any relation to possible therapeutic value. Giving a unit intensity to the rings formed fi a standard preparations the following samples fell below this standard: 79396, 81147, 81148, 81150 and 81164. It is probable that these samples were prepared from nearly exhausted bark or leaves or they may have t«en derited form materials of poorer grade. There ii no way of luMwing whether the diatillate haa been prepared from genuine witch haiel bark or mixtoTM of thia ukI other berio. DUetution of Therapeutic Value and Pouible Ute m a Beveraje. Uamamelis leaTes and bark have limilar aatriufc. t propertiea. Originally thoy were uaed directlj by native tribe* in America. Kruvmer aUtea (Soientifia anc' Applied Pharmacogno»y, p. 349) that the leavea contain a volatile oil, a bitter principle, 8 per cent tannin, gallic acid, and calcium oxalate. The diEtillate ii stated to contain an aromatic substance that apparently dtea not exist in the leavea. The bark is thought to contain a volatile oil conaisting chiefly of a terpcno, which also appeen in the distillate. Theee atatementa aeena to be of a speculative naturo and no reference is given to authoritative reaearch on their exact nature. No such materials seemed in evidence from samples worked upon by us and it would seem that if such substances are present it must be only in very minute traces. The distillate from any bark or leaves contains some traces of organic matter. No specific therapeutic substance has as yet been identified in the distillate from witch hazel. To attack such a problem from the viewpoint of chemical analysis would seem to be exceedingly difficult if not impossible. The problem is n,)t worthy of extensive chemical investigation until it has been more thoroughly dealt with by the practical methods of biological experi- mentation. Such results as may be quoted on work done along these lines- should have removed long ago most of the quackery connected with witch hazel distillates. In 1895 (National Formulary, p. 677) a case is quoted where the first distillates from large quantities of the bark were injected into frogs and roammaU with no more effect than would be produced by the injection of similar quantities of distilled water. These experiments were also oarried out with the same conclusion by Dr. Gey in Paris previoue to 1896. The fluili extract oi the drug (no mention being made of the distillate) has been tried as a remedy for various forms of venous dilation and engorgement. The results of these experiments in different hands were different and no definite conclusion was arrived at beyond the fact that no specific curative properties were inherent in the bark or leaves (Boston Med. and Surg. Journal. May 1895), and (P '11. Qus. de Th6rap. Vol. CVT>. Two teuspoonfuls of the fluid extract were fc >en internally four times a day with impunity. This amount is easily 'he equi' l«it of a very large volume of distillate. It would S3em then that the net result of the use of Jhia distillate is simply that which would be obtained from an equivalent solution of alcohol and distilled water. There is no need to disguise the properties of alcohol for rubbing pur- poses beneath the mysticism of a bark distillation. Large mamifacturers are exceedingly cautious in not recommending it as more than a popular remedy, and such exact work as has been carried out by members of the medical profes- sion does not credit the distillate as having a specific therapeutic value. The whole question is aptly summed up in a quotation from U.S. Dispensatory 1907, p. 178. Hamamelis water is referred to as follows : " This water was probably introduced into the B.P. and U.S.P. (8th Rev.) on account of the large demand for it which has grown out of the wide advertisements of a certain proprietary medicine and the universally recognized need in American families for an embrocation which appeals to the psychic influence of faith. As the tannic acid of Hamamelis bark does not come over into the distillate the water is therapeutically- a mixture of water and alcohol." The article hag a quite larjre and perhaps increasing sale in this oonntry and it is unfortunate indeed that there should remain such a large proportion of the I,: Hi . 1 irnml public o.p«ble of b«!i>c exploited m tuch .n "Ir^"*"/^ ~"^lj^ Tklu. ii returned for the money in the elcohol reoetred, but th, differenN between the price pe id for the article and the T»ltte of the iklcohol ie not xmO* up by the hypothetical curative propertie. of witch hwel. The quettjon ariM M to the poMibility of u»ing euch a distillate aa a beverage for the take of ito alcohol content. The anrage .ample contain. 14 per cent alcohol by »ol ■me and aa prepared is free from methyl alcohol and formaldehyde. The imaU amount of organic materiaU that doe. come over with the iteam into the di.- tillate i. .ufficient to gire the product a nauarating taste. In thi. way any wood distillate might act a. a partial denaturant. It is quite poMible. howerer, that a depraTed alcoholic api«tite might easily become immune to this rather disagreeable taste. It is relatively certain that the distillate contains no con- stituent derived from the bark or leaves of witch hm«el that would wnoualy injure or affect any one using it for iU alcoholic content only. A distiUat* prepared from partially or nearly exhausted bark would contain such very miaU amounts of distilled organic matter that both the taste and odour of the witch hazel would be practically nil. I iwnain. Sir. your obedient servant. L. E. WESTMAN, Public Analy$t, There would appear to be no reason for regarding this article a. dangerous to health, when used as a beverage, except in the sense in which any alcoholic beverage of equivalent strength may be dangerous. I beg to recommend publication of this report as Bulletin No. 402. I have tha honour to be. Sir, your obedient wrvant, A. 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