457 
PHARMACEUTICAL MEETING. 
Wednesday , March 4 th, 1868. 
ME. H. SUGDEN EVANS, VICE-PRESIDENT, IN THE CHAIR. 
The following— 
DONATIONS TO THE LIBRARY AND MUSEUM 
were announced, and the thanks of the Meeting given to the respective 
donors:— 
The London University Calendar: from the University,—Catalogue of the ‘Exposi¬ 
tion Universelle’ of 1867,— Sundry Catalogues of Articles Contributed to the Paris 
Exhibition by various British Colonies,—Catalogue of the Dublin Exhibition, 1865,— 
Three Victorian Exhibition Essays,—Leaves of Eucalyptus Citriodon , from Queensland, 
—Fruit and Starch from Castanospermum Australe ,—Fruit of Hyphcene Thehaiaca ,— 
Gum and Oil from Eucalyptus, —Laurel Oil, Honey, Glue from the Gilbagre, and Crab 
Oil from British Guiana,—Faecula of Macrozamia spiralis, and of the Burrawong Nut, 
from N. S. Wales,—Active Principle of Cayenne Pepper dissolved in Olive Oil: from 
Mr. P. L. Simmonds. 
Professor Bentley called attention to a few substances on the table which 
had been presented to the Museum by Mr. P. L. Simmonds. He first noticed 
a specimen of crab-oil which had lately been introduced into this country as 
something new, but specimens of it had been in their Museum for a number of 
years. It was a fixed oil obtained from the seeds of Carapa guianensis, a native 
of British Guiana, and was first exhibited in this country at the Great Exhibi¬ 
tion of 1851, and, lately, at the Dublin and Paris Exhibitions. It was recom¬ 
mended as a hair-oil, and in the colony it was also used for illuminating 
purposes Most of the substances on the table were from British Guiana. 
There was a specimen of an oil called laurel-oil, which was recommended in 
cases of rheumatism. It did not, however, appear to possess any virtue different 
from other oils of the same class, though it might probably be used with 
advantage in certain cases. He next called attention to a kind of starch, 
which, he said, had been prepared from the seeds of the Castanospermum 
australe , in New South Wales. He knew nothing of the character of the 
starch, but there might be some interest attaching to it. The other substances 
demanded no attention, because they were well known. 
Mr. Hanbury observed that the crab-oil alluded to was not obtained from 
crabs, as its name would seem to imply, but derived its name from Carapa, 
which had got corrupted into “ carab,” and from that into “ crab.” With re¬ 
gard to the large pod on the table, he had seen the seeds of it in the Paris Ex¬ 
hibition, and also the starch made from them. The seeds were called Moreton 
Bay chestnuts, and there were numbers of samples of starch made from them. 
The plant yielding them was a handsome tree, which grew in Australia, and 
seemed to flourish well also in the south of Europe. 
The Chairman then stated that he had brought with him a small sample 
jalap, which, from its general character, he believed to be the rose-scented jalap 
of Guibourt; and since he had been in the room Professor Bentley had pro¬ 
nounced that it was so. He thought it would be interesting to some of the 
members. The jalap came from New York, and sixteen bales were offered for 
public sale about a fortnight or three weeks ago, but they were not sold. 
Professor Bentley said that, from a casual inspection of the sample, he had 
very little doubt that it was what the Chairman had stated it to be, but he 
should not like to assert it as a positive certainty. 
The Chairman added that, when freshly broken, the scent of rhodium was 
very strong. 
