THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. [February 2», 1871. 
092 
CHESTER CHEMISTS’ ASSOCIATION. 
At a Meeting- of the Chester Chemists’ Association’ 
held on Monday last, the proposed regulations for the 
keeping, dispensing and selling of poisons were dis¬ 
cussed, and the following resolution in reference thereto 
was adopted:— 
“ That, taking into consideration the public safety, as 
well as our own protection, the regulations for the 
storing, dispensing and selling of poisons, recommended 
by the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society, be adopted 
by the members of this Association; and that the Secre¬ 
tary be requested to forward a copy of this resolution to 
the Secretary of the Pharmaceutical Society. This 
Meeting also begs to recommend that no medicine for in¬ 
ternal use shall, under any circumstances, be sent out in 
poison bottles.” 
PHILADELPHIA COLLEGE OF PHARMACY. 
After several years’ intermission, the Pharmaceutical 
Meetings in connection with this Institution have been 
resumed. On the 18th of October last a meeting was 
held, the object of which was to consider the best mode 
of conducting the future meetings. The Registrar was 
authorized to publish notice of meetings in the Public 
Ledger ; also to give wide circulation to cards of invitation. 
A committee, consisting of Israel J. Graham, Professor 
Maisch and Dr. Pile, was appointed to draw up a plan 
and submit the same to the next meeting. 
At this meeting Professor Maisch exhibited a specimen 
of the so-called African saffron, obtained from Chicago. 
Upon examination this proved to be Carthamus, safflower 
(C. tinctorial), much broken and discoloured. Also a 
sample of gum sennaar, a species of Acacia, at about 
two-thirds of the price of gum arabic. It comes into com¬ 
merce via Trieste, from a port on the Red Sea. Externally 
it resembles a good quality of true gum arabic, forming a 
mucilage which is not so bland as that produced from true 
gum. It may be distinguished from the Acacia vera by 
the following characters : —A mucilage from true gum 
mixed with Goulard’s Extract produces slight opa¬ 
lescence. A mucilage from gum sennaar filters slowly 
with milkiness ; the addition of liquor ammonia} to the 
filtrate of true gum produces in twenty-four hours a 
slight opalescence; added to the filtrate from gum sen¬ 
naar, a gelatinous mass is formed in the same space of 
time. 
At the Meeting on November 15th, the order of busi¬ 
ness was as at meetings generally. The Committee ap¬ 
pointed at last meeting reported the following sugges¬ 
tions :— 
1. As it is of primary importance that a general in¬ 
terest should be felt or created in the attendance of these 
meetings, the Committee would recommend that an 
earnest invitation be extended to the members of the 
College, and. all others who may desire to participate in 
the proceedings; to produce at each of our meetings 
either written or oral contributions on subjects pertain¬ 
ing to chemistry or pharmacy, or the commercial rela¬ 
tion of drugs. . Upon the conclusion of such communica¬ 
tions, the presiding officer of the meeting to call for any 
remarks that may be elicited by the subject thus intro¬ 
duced. 
2. That there should be appointed annually a Stand¬ 
ing Committee, consisting of three members, whose duty 
it should be to propose subjects for discussion at any of 
our meetings, whenever there shall be a lack of material 
voluntarily contributed by members. 
_ 3. That a box or other suitable arrangement be pro¬ 
vided for _ the reception of written queries, anonymous 
or otherwise, which members may desire to propound, 
relating to any subject connected with the shop or la¬ 
boratory ; which queries may be taken up for discussion 
either at the meeting in which they are proposed or at a 
subsequent meeting. 
4. That this Committee be requested to obtain, from 
time to time, the services of any who may favour the 
meeting with lectures suited to the occasion. 
These recommendations were adopted. The Com¬ 
mittee appointed for the ensuing year was Charles 
Bullock, Dr. Pile and Professor Maisch. 
Dr. Bridges exhibited a specimen of marked glass cut 
by a new process, in which sand is blown with great 
force against the glass, certain portions of which is pro¬ 
tected by wire of different shape, or by gauze or lace, the 
figure of which is left on the smooth glass surface, while 
the meshes are etched by the attrition of the sand. 
Wherever the sand strikes, the impression made re¬ 
sembles ground glass. This process will probably super¬ 
sede ground glass in many of its uses. 
Dr. Pile exhibited a sample of insoluble gun cotton, 
made in the form of gun wad, being very explosive. 
Dr. Bridges explained the principle of the spectro¬ 
scope, its discovery and the wonderful results obtained 
by its use. Although this species of chemical investiga¬ 
tion is but in its infancy, the results so far obtained are 
marvellous, the minutest quantity of a substance being 
detected by an undeniable and never-failing colour. 
After a very interesting exhibition of spectroscopes by 
the Professor, assisted by Mr. Bullock, the meeting 
adjourned. - 
At the Meeting held on December 20th, among other 
things, Dr. Pile propounded and solved the following- 
problems :— 
1. To reduce alcohol of given strength to proof. 
2. To reduce alcohol to any required strength. 
3. To make any required quantity of either of the 
above. 
Answer to Problem 1.—Ascertain the percentage of the 
alcohol used, and to every 50 parts, by measure, add 
water sufficient to make the whole number of parts 
equal to the percentage. For example, if the alcohol be 
85 per cent., then to 50 ounces add water sufficient to 
make 85 ounces. 
Answer to Problem 2.—To as many parts of the given 
alcohol as are indicated by the percentage required add 
sufficient water to make the number of parts of the mix¬ 
ture equal to the percentage of the given alcohol. For 
example, if it is desired to make an alcohol of 30 per 
cent, from an alcohol of 95 per cent., take 30 parts of 
the alcohol, add water sufficient to make 95 parts of the 
mixture. 
Note. —In the first example we do not add to the 50 
ounces of alcohol 35 ounces of water, but sufficient to 
make 85 ounces of the mixture. This is owing to the 
condensation occurring where alcohol and water are 
mixed. 
Answer to Problem 3-.—Make the following proposition: 
As the percentage of the alcohol given is to that of the 
alcohol required, so is the quantity desired to the quan¬ 
tity of the alcohol to be taken; and to this quantity of 
alcohol water sufficient must be added to make up the 
required quantity. For example, suppose 80 oimces of 
alcohol, of 75 per cent., is desired to be made from 95 
per cent, alcohol,—as 95 : 75 : : 80. This gives 63 3-19 
ounces of 95 per cent, alcohol to be taken; to this add 
water sufficient to make 80 ounces. 
Alcohol = 89-49 per cent, by volume. 
Dilute „ = 46- „ ,, 
Strong „ = 94-65 „ „ 
Mr. Bullock exhibited a specimen of anhydrous alu¬ 
mina, found in large masses weighing many pounds. 
Specific gravity, 3*60 ; next to the diamond, the hardest 
substance in nature. Surface studded with crystals of 
sapphire. 
Professor Maisch read a paper “ On the Precipitation 
