316 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[October 19,1872. 
cribed to this article, and the enormous prices, 50 dollars 
to 100 dollars per lb., paid for the first few pounds brought 
to this country, were an inducement for parties in South 
America to send here all that could be gathered, and be¬ 
tween October and February 1367 ceroons were entered 
at our Custom-house. Whether it is going to rank in 
our materia medica among important alteratives is as yet 
an unsettled question; opinions as to the value of its 
medicinal properties are greatly at variance. The me¬ 
dical fraternity have not been disposed to look upon it 
favourably, owing perhaps to the effort which was made 
to introduce it to the public in the form of a proprietary 
remedy. Much of the stock in market is considered 
worthless; the best bark can be bought in small lots at 
75 cents per lb. 
“ Vanilla Beans of really fine quality have been scarce, 
and the new crop which but recently came into market 
is not much better than last year's, and high prices are 
asked; although the duty of 3 dollars per lb. is to be 
taken off on the 1st August next, consumers will not be 
able to purchase lower than heretofore, and some holders 
even ask higher prices.” 
William Procter, jun., then read a letter from Mr. H. 
B. Brady, President of the British Pharmaceutical Con¬ 
ference, accompanied by an album containing the photo¬ 
graphs of the past and present officers of the British 
Pharmaceutical Conference, the Pharmaceutical Society 
of Great Britain, and some of the prominent members of 
each of the organizations. 
A resolution was passed accepting the present, and the 
secretary was requested to return the hearty thanks of 
the association for this token of friendship. 
At the third session, which was held on Wednesday 
afternoon, the report of the Committee on Legislation 
was read by its chairman, Professor Maisch. The paper 
gave a resume of the subject of pharmacy as affected by 
the laws that had been passed in several of the States, 
and of what had been accomplished in improving the 
status of the profession. The attempt of certain persons 
in Pennsylvania to secure the passage of a law which 
would require all in the State now engaged in the busi¬ 
ness to pass before a single “Board of Pharmacy,” who 
were authorized to charge a high fee for examination, 
and to receive the fees in lieu of other compensation, 
was alluded to, and its defeat noted. As the subject of 
legislation on pharmaceutical matters will probably be 
brought before several of the State Legislatures at the 
coming sessions, members were recommended to be on 
the alert, and see that no swindling laws were passed. 
In reference to the value of cantharidate of potash as 
a vesicant, Dr. E. R. Squibb stated that having made 
large quantities of the preparation, and distributed it in 
various directions, he expected to hear at a future time 
some conclusive proof of the therapeutic value of this 
article. In some cases, when of recent make, it had been 
effectual, prompt, and cleanly in use; but recent trials of 
some which had been made for nearly a year failed to 
act promptly or satisfactorily. Ho expected by next 
year to report further on the subject. Messrs. Eberle 
and Ebert stated that ointment and plaster made by 
a method in which cantharidate of potash would be 
present had proved ineffectual in their experience. 
Mr. Procter read a paper from R. Rother, of Chicago, 
in reference to the best method of separating the pecti- 
nous principle from senega root in making the prepara¬ 
tions of the drug. After the reading of the paper Mr. 
Eberle stated that he had attained the most satisfactory" 
results by exhausting senega root with water, evapo¬ 
rating to a syrupy consistence, treat the result with 
alcohol, filter, distil off the alcohol, dissolve the residue 
in water, and, with the proper proportions of sugar, 
form a syrup. 
Mr. Bedford stated that he had no difficulty with the 
officinal formulae, modifying the treatment of the tinc¬ 
ture (obtained by exhausting the root as directed in the 
U. S. P.) by heating it for a few moments to the boiling- 
point, allow it then to stand until cold, filter, evaporate 
or distil off the alcohol, and then, with the proper 
quantity of sugar, form the syrup. 
A paper by Mr. E. J. Weeks, of Jackson, Mich., on 
tests of purity for Oleum Erigerontis Canadensis, was 
read, suggesting that liq. potassm with an equal bulk of 
tbe oil, if pure, will separate in two strata and remain 
clear, while any fixed oils, if used as an adulterant, 
would cause an emulsion, and, at times, a black colour. 
The use of sulphuric acid as a test was also mentioned. 
Mr. J. F. Hancock, of Baltimore, read a paper on the 
best arrangement for the dispensing counter. The paper 
was illustrated by drawings, which helped greatly to ap¬ 
preciate the description. The front store, or dispensing 
department, was 16x24 feet, and the prescription depart¬ 
ment 15 feet square. The drawing represented a door 
with windows on either side at the front of the building,, 
counters on three sides of the store, with a space of two 
feet between the front of the rear counter and the ends 
of the other counters, and the same space between 
the back of the counters and the face of the drawers 
behind, except behind the prescription counter, which, 
should have three feet or more behind it. The parti¬ 
tion dividing the store from the back room should have 
an arch door opening in either direction, kept closed by 
springs; on the top of prescription counter a frame 30 
inches high containing a French plate glass, protects 
the counter from unnecessaiy interruptions, and yet 
permits the persons employed at the counter to observe 
what may occur in the store. Within sight are balances, 
weights, desks, and all the operations of dispensing pre¬ 
scriptions. We briefly note a few items suggested. 
Balsams, oils, honey, and similar sut stances should be 
kept in an appropriate closet in the counter, and the 
counter should be specially arranged to give ample facili¬ 
ties for labels, cut paper, spatulas, and all the various 
“ tools of our art.” Poisons used for dispensing should be 
kept in a separate closet. The main point insisted upon 
was plenty of small drawers, slides, and shelves arranged 
to meet the constant wants of the dispenser. 
Dr. E. R. Squibb read a volunteer paper on aconite 
root. In alluding to the fact that much of the aconite 
root is destitute of the activity of the drug, he states 
that he relies mainly on taste as a means of determining 
quality. In taking a small handful of roots from a habe¬ 
as a sample, at least eight of ten should give the peculiar 
feeling of numbness to the tip of the tongue and lips 
which is characteristic of this drug. In testing this 
root but a very small fragment should be tasted, and im¬ 
mediately spat out; if no numbness is experienced 
within five minutes, another piece of the sample may be 
tasted; but whenever numbness is produced, no other 
piece should be tried until the sensation disappears. 
If this method be adopted he thinks no one need be 
troubled with an unsatisfactory lot of aconite root. 
A volunteer paper on rhubarb was also presented and 
read by Dr. Squibb, in which he reviewed the character 
and quality of supply during the past year, and alluded 
to the disposition to prepare the root in a form con¬ 
venient for use, but which destroyed the appearance, so 
that the characteristic appearance of the original was 
lost in manipulation, and thus afforded opportunities for 
unprincipled persons to foist a worthless article on tho 
public. 
A paper on the quality of phosphoric acid in tho 
market, by Professor A. B. Prescott, of Ann Arbor, 
Mich., was in his absence read by Wm. Procter, jun. 
The paper stated that in six samples examined all 
contained a small proportion of soda, and traces of 
silicic acid, and in one sample a trace of arsenic. Dr. 
Squibb stated that he had been troubled with minute 
quantities of manganese which gave it a pinkish colour, 
and of late always passed sulphuretted hydrogen through 
the solution, and filtered before completing the process 
for dilute phosphoric acid. 
Mr. Enno Sander read a paper on the existence of 
