THE AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY. 
191 
the close of last year the Pharmaceutical Society numbered as members and 
associates, 4683 registered persons, and 1220 apprentices. This shows a total 
increase upon the previous year of 93. 
At a recent meeting of the North British Branch of the British Pharma- 
ceutical Society, Mr. Hill stated that the result of his examination of the 
chinchona “ resin ” revealed it to be a mixture of chinchcna red, chinchotannic 
acid, alkaloids and ash. 
Dr. T. Maben, in a paper read before the North British Branch of the 
Pharmaceutical Society, on vinum ipecacuanha of the new British Pharma- 
copoeia, proposes that the tannin be removed from the wine by precipitation 
with gelatin, thus obviating the possible danger of some emetic being precipitated 
as tannate on standing. He thinks it would be impracticable to standardise the 
wine to represent a definite alkaloidal strength, the problem being how to 
preserve the preparation. If what lie regards as the unnecessary evaporation 
to dryness be avoided, and the tannin precipitated from the sherry, the wine 
will, in his opinion, be very satisfactory. 
Prof. J . Rutherford Hill, in a paper read before the Edinburgh Chemists’ 
Assistants’ Association, recommended that benzoinated lard be prepared by melting 
one pound of prepared lard, adding 4 fl. drachms tincture of benzoin, and stirring 
a few minutes to dissipate the spirit. By this method such ointments as chry- 
sarobin, iodoform, and zinc oxide can be readily benzoinated at the time of making. 
He prepares the tincture by macerating four ounces of coarsely powdered benzoin 
in 15 fl. ounces of rectified spirit for four days, shaking frequently, then filtering 
and making up to one pint with spirit. Although the proportion of benzoin in the 
new British Pharmacopoeia has been reduced from 160 to 140 grains per pound of 
lard, Prof. Hill regards the amount as still too high. 
At the March meeting of the School of Pharmacy Students* Association, 
London, Mr. J. W. Bostock read a paper, “Note on the Purity of the Cream of 
Tartar of Commerce.” The speaker detailed the results of his examinations of 
various samples of so-called cream of tartar, which he had found 1o be variously 
adulterated with flour and gypsum. One sample was wholly tartaric acid, and 
another contained only 59 per cent, of acid tartrate of potassium. The crystalline 
samples gave better results than the powdered ; but nearly all were found to be 
more or less adulterated. 
C. J. Rathbun, D.D.S., in a paper read before the English Chemists’ 
Assistants’ Association, referred the deterioration in the teeth of civilised races 
to a gradual change in the food habit,, disuse of these organs causing a 
diversion of nutrition to other parts of the body. This diversion of nutrition, 
and consequent loss of function would, in his opinion, gradually result in 
reducing the number of teeth from thirty-two to twenty-eight. 
Referring to a paper on “ The Species of Strophanthus used in Medicine,” 
read at a meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain on 10th March, 
the president said that this ( Strop kantkus ) was a substance which had been 
experimented upon somewhat carefully by Professor Fraser. It was supposed 
to have some of the properties of digitalis, without the disadvantages of that drug. 
If it were found in extended practice that the observations made by Professor 
Fraser were verified, the preparation of the drug would no doubt form a very 
important and active part of Pharmacopo 3 ias of the future. 
A sign-painter erroneously made a chemist’s sign read : — “Physicians’ 
prescriptions carefully confounded.* A malicious commentator remarks that the 
painter wasn’t so far out after all. 
