The invention comprises compounds of the formula in which R is an alkyl (having up to 10 carbon atoms), cycloaliphatic, aralkyl or aryl radical, R1 is an alkyl (having up to 10 carbon atoms), aralkyl, allyl or cinnamyl radical, NA is a secondary amine residue and X is an anion. Such compounds are obtained by reacting a g -hydroxy-tertiary amine with a quaternizing agent of the formula R1X in which R1 has the meaning heretofore described and X is for example halide or methylsulphate. A quaternary ammonium bromide or iodide may be converted to the corresponding hydroxide by treatment in aqueous solution with silver oxide. The hydroxide may then be neutralized with another acid, e.g. phosphoric, to give a product with the corresponding radical at X. Anions derived from inorganic acids, carboxylic acids and sulphonic acids are preferred. In an example (1) 1-phenyl-1-isopropyl-4-dimethylamino-2-butanol is converted to 3-hydroxy-5-methyl - 4 - phenylhexyltrimethylammonium iodide. This product is converted to the corresponding quaternary ammonium hydroxide, portions of which are neutralized with phosphoric, acetic, sulphuric, p-toluenesulphonic and benzoic acids respectively. Similarly prepared are (2) 1-(3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-phenylhexyl) - 1 - methylpiperidinium iodide; (3) 4 - cyclohexyl - 3 - hydroxy - 4 - phenylbutyl - trimethyl - ammonium iodide; (4) 3-hydroxy - 4,5 - diphenylamyltrimethyl - ammonium iodide; (5) 3 - hydroxy - 4 - phenylhexyltrimethylammonium iodide; (6) 1-methyl - 1 - (3 - hydroxy - 4,4 - diphenylbutyl)-piperidinium iodide; (7) 1 - (4,5 - diphenyl - 3-hydroxyamyl) - 1 - methyl - piperidinium iodide; (8) 1 - ethyl - 1 - (3 - hydroxy - 5-methyl - 4 - phenylhexyl) - piperidinium iodide; (9) 1 - benzyl - 1 - (3 - hydroxy - 5 - methyl - 4-phenylhexyl) - piperidinium bromide; (10) 3-hydroxy - 5 - methyl - 4 - phenylhexyltrimethylammonium methylsulphate; (11) 3 - hydroxy4 - phenylheptyltrimethylammonium methylsulphate; (12) 1 - (3 - hydroxy - 5 - methyl - 4-phenylhexyl) - 1 - cinnamylpiperidinium bromide; (13) 1 - (3 - hydroxy - 5 - methyl - 4-phenylhexyl) - 1 - allylpiperidinium bromide. 1 - Isopropyl - 1 - phenyl - 4 - (1 - piperidyl)-2-butanol used as starting material in example (2) is obtained by reduction with a platinum oxide catalyst of 1-isopropyl-1-phenyl-4-(1-piperidyl) - 2 - butanone hydrochloride (prepared by the Mannich reaction from 3-phenyl-4-methyl - 2 - pentanone, paraformaldehyde and piperidine hydrochloride). Specifications 693,128, 722,167 and 733,406 are referred to.