Compounds having a physiological cooling effect and compositions containing them

A method of stimulating the cold receptors of the nervous system of the surface tissues of the human body, which comprises bringing into contact with said tissues an effective amount of a cold receptor stimulating acyclic sulphonamide or sulphinamide of the formula:

• RSO.sub.x NR.sub.1 R.sub.2
• where
• R is a secondary or tertiary alkyl group containing from 5-12 carbon atoms;
• R.sub.1 and R.sub.2, when taken separately, are each hydrogen, C.sub.1 - C.sub.12 alkyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 hydroxyalkyl, and together provide a total of no more than 12 carbon atoms, with the proviso that when R.sub.1 is hydrogen R.sub.2 may also be alkylcarboxyalkyl of up to 12 carbon atoms;
• and x is an integer of from 1-2 inclusive,
• R, r.sub.1 and R.sub.2 together providing a total of from 6-18 carbon atoms.