1892.] NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 10? 



March 14th, 1892. 



Stated Meeting. 



In the absence of officers, Prof. Rees was chosen to preside. 

 Thirty-five persons present. 



The minutes of February 29th were read and approved. 



Prof. Henry F. Osborn read an illustrated paper on — 



The Evolution of the Horse. 



Meeting adjourned. 



March 21st, 1892. 

 Stated Meeting. 



The President, Dr. Hubbard, in the chair. Thirty -five persons 

 present. 



The minutes of March 14th were read and approved. 



The sixth lecture of the Public Course was delivered by Prof. 

 A. H. Elliott, of the College of Pharmacy, on — 



The Contributions of Organic Chemistry to Modern Medicine. 



(Abstract.) 



Of early observations in organic chemistry we know very little 

 that is of special value to-day. A few observations are recorded by 

 Pliny, such as the use of gallic acid for the detection of iron in ver- 

 digris. We also know that the Greeks understood the process of 

 vinegar-making. 



But one of the favorite operations of the early workers was the 

 process of distillation in a variety of forms. They had an idea that 

 this was the way to get the essence or soul out of everything in 

 nature. The process was applied to a multitude of substances, 

 solids and liquids. The products of these distillations were called 

 spirits. Brandy was distilled from wine and called spirit of wine 

 or aqua vitae ; ammonia was distilled from the shavings of stag's 

 horns, and thus got its common name of spirits of hartshorn. 

 Common salt distilled with oil of vitriol gave spirits of salt or what 

 we call hydrochloric acid. 



