67 
сир” or volva, and the “ring” or annulus. The careless mush- 
room hunter may pull up a specimen leaving the volva still 
buried in the earth, or the annulus, which is a more or less fragile 
structure, may have already disappeared and serious conse- 
quences result from the oversight. 
Dr. Murrill wished to emphasize the fact that there were no 
rules or tests that could be applied with certainty. Itis necessary 
that one gathering mushrooms for eating purposes should con- 
fine his operations to such species as he knows intimately in all 
their various forms. 
The lecture was discussed by Dr. H. H. Rusby, Dr. Thomas, 
E. B. Southwick, and E. C. Edwards. 
Meeting adjourned. 
B. О. DODGE, 
Secretary 
DECEMBER 12, 1911 
The meeting of December 12, 1911, was called to order by 
President Rusby at 8:15 p.m. Sixty-one persons were present. 
The minutes of November 14 were read and approved. 
Dr. Rusby in a few remarks announced the death of Sir Joseph 
Hooker and an obituary notice from the Evening Post was read 
by Dr. E. B. Southwick. 
The announced scientific program consisted. of a lecture on 
* Methods of Detecting Adulterations in Foods and Drugs," 
by Dr. H. H. Rusby. 
The lecturer stated,that the methods of detecting adulterants 
in foods and drugs were physical and chemical. To the chemical 
matters he would merely make brief reference. They depend 
upon the well-known fact that the medicinal and nutritive values 
of drugs and foods, respectively, were due to certain of their 
constituents. The fact that these constituents are present in 
more or less definite percentages, enables the authorities to 
establish standard requirements as to these percentages. Such 
percentage may be lowered by the removal of part of the active 
constituent, or by the addition of foreign material. In either 
case, the article is adulterated, in the legal sense. Chemical 
