382 
pable of separating it into an active and an inac- 
tive portion. 
Physiologically it was found to produce the 
typical ‘‘Cannabis intoxication’’ with a smaller 
dose than any other derivative of the drug so far 
obtained. 
The paper concludes with comments on the pecul- 
jarities of this drug, which apparently make it 
unreliable. This is shown, however, to be due 
largely to the characteristics of the person on 
whom the effects are observed and not often, as 
is commonly supposed, to the variability in the 
drug itself, 
H. C. Haminton: The Pharmacopeial Require- 
ments for Cannabis Sativa. 
The U. S. P. requirements are such that com- 
mercial samples of this drug can rarely be used 
as official because the drug has so often passed to 
the fruiting stage before being gathered, while 
to specify that it must be grown in India results 
in excluding a drug of first class quality grown in 
other localities. 
To remedy this it is suggested that the require- 
ments be made partly chemical and partly physio- 
logical. Cannabis Sativa is botanically identical 
from whatever lpcality it comes. ‘Moreover, the 
extract soluble in cold aleohol is the active part 
and the yield of this can readily be determined. 
Since the yield of an extract’ of this character 
is one of the variable factors and its activity the 
only other factor of importance the proposal is 
that the standard for Cannabis Sativa be that it 
shall contain not less than 10 per cent. extractive 
soluble in cold 95 per cent. alcohol. Further, that 
this extract) must react on susceptible dogs when 
administered internally in a dose of 10 mg. per 
kilo weight of the dog. 
JOSEPH P. REMINGTON: Progress on the Work of 
Revision of the United States Pharmacopaia. 
The American Chemical Society, having repre- 
sentation in the United States Pharmacopeial 
Convention, should be informed of the progress 
made from time to time in the work of revision. 
The sub-committee on scope have made their re- 
port and a tentative list of admissions and dele- 
tions has been printed in the public magazines 
and journals. The Pharmacopeia is a book of 
standards. The necessity for careful and thorough 
Tevision. Analytical chemistry the foundation 
stone in the building of reform structures. The 
fnfluence of the Food and; Drugs Laws on the 
United States Pharmacopeia. The plan of re- 
vision. The American Chemical Society invited by 
SCIENCE 
[N.S. Vou. XXXV. No. 897 
the chairman to send comments, facts and sug- 
gestions to aid in the work. 
A. D. THorRBURN: The Estimation of Morphine in 
Cough Syrups. 
A, ZIMMERMAN: Laboratory Studies of Rennin. 
A study of the properties of this ferment, 
when prepared by different methods. The varia- 
tion in the length of time required to curdle dif- 
ferent specimens of milk by rennin and how this 
is influenced by the milk, according to the length 
of time it is kept after the milking. Standard- 
izing rennin to use as a control in rennin assay, 
for more accurate results. The acceleration of 
the action of rennin upon milk by phosphoric acid. 
The effect of alkalies upon milk, causing a varia- 
tion of the length of time required to curd milk 
by rennin. The influence of heat in changing the 
acidity of milk, kept for a varied number of 
hours after the milking. 
C. M. Pencr: The Bromine and Iodometric Meth- 
ods for the Volumetric Determination of Cresol. 
Usual bromine methods for determination of 
eresol depends upon fixed conditions predisposing 
a previous knowledge on the part of the operator, 
and while they may be of service they do not 
satisfy the demand for a desirable method. 
Tri brom o. and p. cresol brom compounds can 
not be formed in a manner analogous to the pro- 
duction of 2-4-6 tri brom phenol brom. Di brom 
cresol brom compounds are formed and finally tri 
brom phenol brom; however, o. and p. cresols can 
not be determined volumetrically by a conversion 
into these compounds. 
Meta cresol is determined by a conversion into 
tri brom m, cresol. 
O. and p. eresols from di iodo compounds and 
this reaction is made the basis of a method for 
their determination. 
Meta cresol does not yield di iodo compounds 
under the same conditions; hence, cresol U. S. P. 
or any mixture containing m. ecresol can not be 
determined by a volumetric iodine method. 
L. E. Sayre: The Analysis of a Very Old Sample 
of Powdered Gelsemium Root. 
ATHERTON SEIDELL: A Bromine-hydrobromic Acid 
Method for the Determination of Phenols. 
CHARLES BASKERVILLE and W. A. Hamor: The 
Impurities of Anesthetic Chloroform and 
Methods for their Detection. 
The impurities which anesthetic chloroform 
brings with it from the manufacturer (‘‘ organic 
impurities’’) and the oxidation products of 
chloroform and alcohol are considered chemically 
