THE ALUMNI JOURNAL 141 



which have proved of vakie to medical science, and their Hue of goods 

 is carried in stock by jobbers throughout the country. 



The history of the house is in many respects identical with that of 

 the origin and growth of American Chemical industry. 



Powers & Weighnian, and Rosengarten & Sons introduced into this 

 country the manufacture of Morphine Sulphate and Quinine Sulphate, 

 and their successors are to-day one of the largest producers in the 

 world of these Chemicals, which are respectively the recognized stan- 

 dard brands of the American market. 



Not less important is the relation of the Company to the manufac- 

 ture of many other staple Chemicals, such, for example, as that of 

 Acid Citric, Bismuth Subnitrate, Strychnine, and Potassium Iodide. 



At a time when there is increased employment of Codeine and its 

 Salts, we call attention to the announcement of the P-W-R-Co. relat- 

 ing to this subject, on the back cover of this issue. 



PERUVIAN-BALSAM. 



It is a well known fact that the genuine Balsam has become ex- 

 ceedingly scarce in the chief staple places as Hamburg, New York, 

 London, Paris, Havre and Bremen ; ofifers from the produce coun- 

 tries can hardly be had and the world's stock is very reduced; it 

 appears that these conditions will continue and that we shall see 

 ere long record prices for the article. 



There are sufficient reasons for the scarcity : 



The Peruvian Balsam tree (Myroscylon Pereirae) grows in a 

 small district only of San Salvador and stormy weather has caused 

 heavy damage among them, an unreasonable cutting off of the 

 bark for other purposes, has since some time greatly reduced the 

 production, political troubles betAveen Honduras and Nicaragua 

 have prevented the gathering to its usual extent, the rainy season has 

 set in lately, and we see no chance for a more liberal supply of the 

 article, but rather expect the position to grow worse. 



HE SCARED THE MOURNERS. 



Wilmington, Del, June 2t^. — There w^as all kinds of excitement 

 at a negro funeral near Denton, Md. , to-day when Samuel Johnson, 

 a negro ventriloquist, "threw" his voice into the grave as the coffin 

 was being lowered and said, "Let me down easy," 



The mourners and the pall bearers fled. Later the mystery was 

 explained and Johnson was arrested. 



