March 15, 1873.] 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
735 
alcohol seems too weak to dissolve the resin, and the 
finished preparation contains one half glycerine. Pro¬ 
fessor Maisch had four or five samples perfectly clear, 
made substantially by the officinal process. Lhese were 
made by himself, the heat carefully regulated, not above 
.140° ; the powder should not be finer than 60. In this 
preparation the temperature is of great importance. 
Mr. Remington said that the ipecac used by him was 
.the strongest he had ever seen. The fluid extract of 
wild cherry was next discussed, as being made so entirely 
-different from the process directed in the last U.S. Phar¬ 
macopoeia, being percolated with water and stronger 
alcohol. 
Professor Maisch made some general remarks about 
the fluid extracts in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia, stating 
that the Committee endeavoured to make these formulm 
as simple as possible, that they might be understood by 
the student and those of little experience in the business. 
The processes were general ones, and were found to 
'meet the requirements of the profession, based on the 
experience of those best acquainted with the subject. 
After moistening the drug with the amount of menstruum 
• directed and adding the remainder, the soluble portion 
of the drug would be dissolved in a very concentrated 
.form after the required time for maceration, and could 
rfhen be driven out by the addition of an additional 
quantity of liquid. The fluid extract of wild cherry was 
in nowise intended to take the place of the syrup. 
Mr. Remington recommended particularly keeping the 
percolator closely covered, otherwise during the four 
days’ maceration fissures would be formed in the drug, 
..and the extract be an imperfect one. 
Mr. Boring exhibited samples of cinnamon and cassia 
•water, made from the oils by distillation, and ,by the or- 
- dinary process of dissolving the oil by the aid of car¬ 
bonate of magnesia. The water prepared from Ceylon 
cinnamon by distillation seemed to be the most fragrant 
and most characteristic. 
Professor Maisch exhibited a sample of what was 
•offered as cultivated dandelion root, which upon exa¬ 
mination, proved to be chicory. 
Mr. A. P. Brown, of Camden, N.J., gave a formula, 
.as follows, for preparing Goulard’s cerate:— 
Benzoated lard.. yiiiss. 
Yellow wax.3 
Solution of subacetate lead . ... ii ss - 
Camphor.3 ss * 
Melt the wax and lard in a water-bath, add the solution 
•of subacetate of lead gradually, digest for fifteen minutes, 
stirring it constantly, remove the mixture from the bath, 
stir it till cool; lastly add the camphor. This prepara¬ 
tion keeps for months, retaining its properties. 
Professor Maisch read a paper upon spiritus aether, 
nit. as a supposed test for some of the alkaloids, "which 
was ordered for publication. 
Professor Maisch exhibited several varieties of fig 
plants grown in the neighbourhood of Norfolk, Va., 
which embraced the white, brown, black and celestia.. 
fig. It is not known whether figs may be profitably 
raised in the Southern States on a large scale. 
Several varieties of rhubarb were presented, and it was 
.•stated that in all varieties raised in Europe the red 
^medullary rays ran from centre to circumference, while 
;in the true rhubarb the rays are dispersed irregularly 
• over the fractured surface. A specimen of true Russian 
rroot was exhibited, which came directly from St. Peters¬ 
burg about three years ago. 
The Professor also exhibited models for the illustra¬ 
tion of botany. These were manufactured by R. Brendel, 
Breslau, Germany, and were beautiful in appearance, 
resembling as near as possible in colour the natural ob¬ 
jects. The models are made large enough to be. seen 
by a class of students, and by coming apart exhibit the 
internal arrangements of portions of the plants, and the 
process of germination in the mono- and dicotyledonous 
ilants. A section of rye was shown, and the manner of 
growth explained. A beautiful flax-plant was shown, 
showing the structure of the flower, with the stamens and 
Distils distinctly visible ; also models of various fruits, 
showing the seeds attached, and displaying the embryo. 
These specimens were made of materials of various kinds 
most resembling the parts of the plant. 
CHEMICAL SOCIETY. 
Thursday, 6th March, 1873 ; Dr. Gladstone, F.R.S., 
Vice-President, in the chair. 
After the minutes of the previous meeting had been 
read and the other ordinary business of the society trans¬ 
acted, the following communications were read “ On 
he action of Hydrochloric Acid on Codeine, by Dr. C. 
R. A. Wright, being a continuation in the codeine series 
of the author’s former researches on morphine. 2. “ On 
new processes for Mercury estimation, with some obser¬ 
vations on Mercury Salts,” by J. B. Hannay. 3. On 
a method of estimating Nitric Acid,” by T. E. Thorpe, 
F.R.S.E., the process depending on the ease with which 
nitric acid is converted into ammonia by the copper-zinc 
couple of Messrs. Gladstone and Tribe. 4. “Note on a 
reaction of the Acetates upon Lead Salts, with remarks 
on the solubility of Lead Chloride, by F. Field, F.R.S. 
o. “ Observations on the nature of the black deposit in 
the Copper-zinc Couple,” by J. H. Gladstone, F.R.S., 
and A. Tribe, F.C.S. 6. On “An air-bath of constant 
temperature between 100° and 200° C., by Dr. H. 
Sprengel. This consists of a bath similar to the ordinary 
chemical hot w r ater oven, but made of sheet lead, and 
filled with dilute sulphuric acid of such a strength as to 
boil at the desired temperature. , 
The meeting was finally adjourned until Thursday, 
20th March, when a lecture “ On Iron and. Steel” will 
be delivered by C. W. Siemens, Esq., F.R.S., etc. 
IParliaramtara ani lata <$nr«ti)inp. 
HOUSE OF COMMONS. 
The Juries Bill. 
On Monday, March 10, the consideration in committee 
of the Juries Bill was again postponed until Friday, 
Marc h 14. 
Colonel Barttelot has given notice that he will propose 
to insert the words, “ also members of the Royal College 
of Veterinary Surgeons actually in practice, m the 
paragraph relating to “ exemptions.” (See before, p. 
673.) 
The Metric System. 
On Wednesday, March 5, Mr. J. B. Smith moved for 
leave to bring in a Weights and Measures (Metric Sy stem) 
Bill, “to establish the metric system of weights and 
measures after a fixed period.” Leave was granted, and 
the Bill was brought in and read a first time the same 
evening. Mr. Stevenson has given notice that on the 
motion for the second reading, which is set down lor 
Tuesday, April 1, he will move an amendment that it De 
read that day six months. 
Registration of Firms Bill. 
This Bill, which bears the names of Mr. Norwood, 
Mr. Charles Turner, Mr. Whitwell, and Mr. Barnett, 
was brought in and read a first time on the 13td Fe¬ 
bruary. In the preamble it states that “ it is expedient 
that the real constitution of all private firms carrying 
on any trade or profession should be known, _ an 
object it proposes to accomplish in the foliowing man¬ 
ner :— 
