THE ALUMNI JOURNAL 55 



I have heard of people filtering their vanilla soon after it is fin- 

 ished, but this speaks for itself; don't filter it at all; when you need 

 any for your shelf bottle just decant from your stock bottle, and 

 if it don't look nice enough for you then filter that portion which 

 you have decanted or syphoned ofT. 



The U. S. Pharmacoptcia descril)es vanilla as the cured, full 

 grown, but immature fruit of vanilla plainfolia Andrews (Fam. Or- 

 chidacetr). 



In selecting beans, the best is none too good, and if you wish to 

 hold your trade, select the Mexican bean, which iS considered the 

 best; this bean runs from 5 to 9 inches in length, is round and tapers 

 at both ends, one end having a hook. The color varies from black 

 to brown ; it has an oily epidermis and is pliable, but rarely is cov- 

 ered with crystals of vanillin. 



The Bourbon bean is the next best ; this looks somewhat like the 

 Mexican, only it has a crystalline covering (vanillin). Its odor is 

 like that of prunes, and not so fragrant as Mexican. They vary in 

 length from four to eight inches. The color of the crystals varies 

 according to age, from white to yellow. Bourbon beans are im- 

 ported from France. 



Tahiti beans have almost no vanilla odor, but more of a heliotrope 

 perfume odor; the pods are from 4 to 8 inches long, flat, soft, mushy, 

 dark brown and never crystallize. 



Vanilla cuts are also oft'ered in this market. This is the Mexican 

 bean cut up in pieces from Vi to i^ inches long, being made up from 

 windfalls, immature pods, splits, etc., cut up, and is a very inferior 

 ^^^^ticle. CHARLES A. LOTZ, PH.G., 



(with abstract from article by A. Henning, 



Journal Pharmacology, March, 1898). 



LECTURE BY DR. LARNED. 



On Wednesday evening, April 14th, Dr. Larned, of Parke Davis 

 & Co., gave a very interesting lecture before the Alumni Associa- 

 tion at the College of Pharmacy. 



The lecture was on Serums and Vaccines and was profusely illus- 

 trated by stereopticon slides. The lecturer explained the method of 

 manufacture of the various antitoxins and vaccines, showing pic- 

 tures of the first exponents of antitoxins, and later of the vari- 

 ous laboratories and animal wards in which the manufacture of 

 serums was carried on. 



The lecture was very interesting and instructive and one could 

 not fail to understand by the lecturer's explanations, how the manu- 

 facture of serums is carried on. 



At the conclusion of the lecture, Dr. C. P. Wimmer, who was in 

 charge, offered a vote of thanks to Dr. Larned on behalf of the 

 Alumni Association. 



