January 7,1871.] 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
551 
fmeAings jof tin f Ijarimtmitical Sflcicto- 
PHAllMACEUTICAL MEETING. 
Wednesday , January 4th, 1871. 
MR. HASELDEN, VICE-PRESIDENT, IN THE CHAIR. 
The Secretary read the following list of Donations 
to the Library and Museum:— 
Liebig’s Familiar Letters on Chemistry, fourth edi¬ 
tion : from Mr. Daniel Hanbury,—On Santonin and its 
Detection in the Urine : from Walter G. Smith, M.B.,— 
An Address on certain aspects of Medical Reform : from 
Mr. John Jaap,—Journal of the London Institution, 
first number: from the Institution,—Large specimen of 
Arsenious Acid, manufactured by Messrs. Drayton and 
Co., of Cornwall; also, Two Leaden Bullets found in a 
sample of Turkey opium: presented by Mr. Slater, of 
Romsey,—Specimen of the bark of Cinchona Pahudiana 
grown in the Darjeeling Plantations, India, and offered 
for sale in London : presented by Mr. J. E. Howard,— 
Specimens of a large parcel of hark obtained from Cin¬ 
chona succirubra and ojficinalis grown in Ceylon and 
offered for sale in London: presented by Messrs. Jen¬ 
kins and Phillips, Lime Street, City,—Specimens of 
Pakoe hi dang , being the hairy stipes of Ahophila lurida 
of Hasskarl from Java: presented by Mr. Hanbury. 
Professor Atteield drew attention to a large pho¬ 
tograph of the members of the American Pharmaceutical 
Association, which met last year at Chicago, a copy of 
which had also been presented to the British Pharma¬ 
ceutical Conference. It was sent by Mr. Ebert, with 
the greeting of the Chicago College of Pharmacy. 
Mr. Howden remarked, with reference to the photo¬ 
graph sent by Mr. Ebert, that one of the leading phar¬ 
macists in Chicago, Mr. Buck, was an Englishman, a 
native of Rochester, and a member by examination of 
the Society. 
Mr. IIanrury, referring to the specimens of Pahoe 
Tcidang , said they were the stipes of a large species of 
fern, covered with peculiar golden-brown hairs that 
formed a very pretty object under the microscope. This 
hairy substance was extensively used in Java and the 
adjacent parts as a mechanical styptic, but he was not 
aware that the plant possessed any active medicinal pro¬ 
perties. 
Pharmacy in America. —Adjourned Piscussion. 
Mr. Howden said there were one or two points of 
detail, with reference to pharmacy in America, to which 
he might allude as an introduction to the evening’s 
discussion. First, he would mention a very ingenious 
and pretty device, in common use in the States, for 
washing soda-water tumblers, which, owing to the short¬ 
ness of the hot season in England, might not be worth 
while to introduce here, but would doubtless find its 
way into Continental cities and warm latitudes. On 
almost every soda-water counter in America was to be 
seen a silver or plated salver, surrounded by perhaps a 
dozen inverted tumblers, upon the inside of each of 
which played a jet of water, so arranged as to strike the 
inside of the glass obliquely, and so communicate to it a 
rotary motion, it being balanced on the centre. The 
weight of the tumbler acts on the stopcock through 
which the jet flows, so that on the removal of the glass 
there is no escape. Another curious thing to an English¬ 
man, in connection with pharmacy in America, was that 
no coin of any kind ever passed over the counter, pay¬ 
ment for everything being made in bank-notes or green¬ 
backs. ‘ 
When visiting the College of Pharmacy in Philadel¬ 
phia, he heard a very interesting lecture from Professor 
Parish, the subject being “ Specific Gravities.” The 
lecturer particularly impressed upon the students the 
importance of taking proper precautions in ascertain¬ 
ing specific gravities,—the fact being that it is custo¬ 
mary for physicians to request pharmacists to perform 
analyses of the urine of patients suffering from diabetes 
and similar diseases, proper fees of course being charged. 
Professor Parish also called his attention ik> a drug" 
extensively used in America for coughs, etc., which 
ho thought might advantageously be introduced inb> 
English medicine, viz. Wild Cherry Bark, or Prumis 
Ytrginiana. It was used in the form of a syrup, many 
hundred gallons being consumed, and its advantages- 
were that it combined the properties of a pectoral and 
tonic medicine. He also called his attention to syrup of 
ipecacuanha made by treating the powder with spirits of 
wine, distilling off the superfluous alcohol until the- 
residue became thick, then adding acetic acid and water, 
boiling, and adding sugar to the liquor when cool. This- 
was recommended as superior to ipecacuanha wine. 
With reference to the subject of specific gravities, it- 
had occurred to him that, whereas the specific gravities- 
of all the preparations in the Pharmacopoeia were given 
at a temperature of 60°, it would be very difficult to test 
them in that way in many parts of the world. No 
doubt 60° was a very convenient standard in England, 
but now that the art of pharmacy was extending all 
over the world, it must be remembered that many of 
their brethren were placed under great disadvantages in 
that respect, as he had had opportunities of noticing in 
America. In many cities there the temperature was 
never below 90° in the summer; while at a place- 
called Minniapolis, to which it was usual to send pa¬ 
tients afflicted with phthisis, the thermometer during 
the winter often stood as low as 4f5° below zero, the- 
mercury freezing in the bulb. Now there was a 
growing practice in the States of bvy’.ng drugs not 
from wholesale dealers, but from a class of men who 
might be called brokers, who sold by sample and. 
delivered the goods in small original packages as im¬ 
ported. It was of great importance to the chemists 
that they should be able properly to test the purity and 
strength of the remedies thus furnished them; and, 
therefore, it appeared to him that it would be a great 
boon not only to Americans, but also to chemists in the 
colonies and various parts of the world if tables were 
issued under the authority of the Pharmaceutical Society, 
giving the specific gravities of the more important articles 
of the materia rnedica at temperatures ranging from 32° to 
100°. Such tables might bo found here and there, but 
they were incomplete and without authority. In con¬ 
clusion, ho desired to recommend every member of the- 
Society, as far as opportunity allowed, to exercise hospi¬ 
tality towards the large number of strangers of their 
own profession who were constantly visiting London. 
He had met with so much kindness when travelling' 
through the States that he could not but contrast the 
two national characteristics in this respect. Not that an 
Englishman’s heart was not warm, but he often did not 
take proper means to let the heat radiate. He did not al¬ 
lude to knife-and-fork hospitality, but to a readiness te 
sacrifice time, and take a little trouble to show a stranger 
those objects in London which would be most interest¬ 
ing to him, such as Kew Gardens, the Botanic Gardens,, 
and their own Museum and Library. If this were 
carried out more extensively both by the individual mem¬ 
bers and by the Society itself, he believed it would have 
the effect of raising up a number of friends throughout 
the world to remember the kindness which had been 
shown them throughout their lives. 
Professor Atteield said Mr. Howden was perhaps not 
aware that in nearly every London hospital a notice was 
exhibited informing strangers and visitors that they were- 
invited to inspect the arrangements, and that if they 
would bo good enough to make themselves known all 
possible attention would be offered them. In their own 
Institution scarcely a week passed, and sometimes not a 
day' in a week, in which some stranger was not shown 
