June 10, 1871.] 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
999 
case in -which there is none published, taking into account 
the proper doses and pharmaceutical requirements of the 
ingredients, hut in no case selling one of his own where 
^another is evidently intended to he prescribed. 
Mr. Gailard exhibited a specimen of Whitman’s 
Cacao Butter, of fine quality, used by him in making 
■suppositories. 
Professor Maiscii called attention to the fact that the 
fusing-point of this oil is generally stated to be at about 
90° F.,* while common experience shows that supposi¬ 
tories made with it, without admixture, will retain their 
.shape reasonably well throughout the hot summers of the 
United States. 
The preparation of suppositories being under discus¬ 
sion, the method of preparing them without fusion was 
adverted to. 
Professor Procter stated that he had practised that 
•method on their first introduction, but noticed a differ¬ 
ence in the facility of manipulating them according to 
the temperature of the hands of different persons; while 
some could form a suppositoiy without inconvenient 
fusion, others would have the mass become too soft to 
Randle. 
Professor Procter exhibited the remains of the retort, 
the explosion of which killed the late Ferris Bringhurst, 
together wdth the curved piece of iron taken from his 
•brain, measuring about 1^ inches in length by about 1 
inch in width by ^ inch in thickness. 
Professor Maisch gave the result of his analysis of 
•several samples of assafoetida taken by the drug inspector 
of the port from different cases and from different parts 
of the mass, with the following result- 
No. 1. No. 2. No. 11. No. 18. No. 20. 
Oleoresin.34-25 4W7 61-80 37'86 28-88 
Alcoholic resin . . . 2"23 2"42 113 162 1"20 
Total resin and vol. oil 3G"48 43 - 89 62 93 39 48 30-08 
Impurities.57*50 44-01 15 - 20 51'70 62-09 
Gum moisture and loss 6 - 02 12-10 2T87 8‘82 7'83 
100-00 100-00 100 00 100-00 100-00 
These were samples of amygdaloid assafoetida which 
n year ago was rejected by the purchaser as adulterated, 
he claiming that good assafoetida should be entirely free 
from sulphate of lime. The impurities in the above 
instance consist of gypsum and vegetable fragments, as 
always met with in the resinous matter agglutinating 
the tears. 
MASSACHUSETTS COLLEGE OF PHARMACY. 
The Third Annual “ Commencement ” of the Massa¬ 
chusetts College of Pharmacy was held in Boston, on 
May 18th. The President, Mr. S. C. Colcord, in. his 
opening address, said that the students were from thirty 
to forty in number, with three professors. The Insti¬ 
tution suffered from the want of suitable rooms, and at 
present he thought apothecaries did not take sufficient 
interest in it, but he hoped the time would come when 
the College would compare well with that at Philadelphia. 
Professor J. Babcock then read a portion of two 
.selected theses by members of the graduating class, on 
“Citrate of Iron and Quinine,” by Mr. Beale,, and 
•“ Capsicum, with Assays of its Commercial Powder,” by 
Mr. Drury. The reading of the theses was supplemented 
by some remarks upon the importance of assays in dis¬ 
covering adulterations in drugs. A valuable hydro¬ 
meter was then presented to Mr. Drury for proficiency 
in his studies. 
A valedictory address was delivered by Professor G. 
.F. H. Markoe. He spoke of the new and enlargod 
-field of action upon which, in the enjoyment of their pro¬ 
fessional rights, the students were about to enter. As 
pharmaceutists, he said, they must still continue stu- 
----—-- J 
* Watts’ ‘Dictionary of Chemistry’ gives 30° C. (86 3 F.) 
dents, especially of chemistry and botany. By devoting 
their leisure hours to the study of science, they would 
ennoble their characters and elevate their profession. 
They should look well to the details of their art, bearing 
in mind that what w*as worth doing at all w r as worth 
doing well. The pharmacist should carefully avoid in¬ 
vading the domain of medicine. The professions should 
be kept carefully distinct. Either one affords scope for 
the best abilities, and there is no excuse for the practice 
of both by the same person. He exhorted the graduates 
to remember the importance of their duties and acquit 
themselves like men. 
The Rev. J. M. Manning then delivered an address. 
The subject of pharmacy, he said, was one in which all 
people were interested, and there were some considera¬ 
tions in respect to it which clergymen, although not 
familiar with the science, might enforce. As Shylock 
said of the Jew T s, so it is with clergymen, if you poisoned 
them they died. The quality and preparation of medi¬ 
cines were of the utmost importance, as blunders and 
mistakes by apothecaries could not be risked. Lawyers 
might sometimes, after a case had been lost, seek redress 
for their clients in a higher court, and clergymen could 
restate their doctrines if in one Sunday’s sermon they 
had been a little top-heavy, but there w r as no chance for 
a second experiment wdth the apothecary. He ought 
also to know how to stock his shelves and to stand be¬ 
tween the public and the importers of drugs. Adulte¬ 
rations in articles of food might be endured occasionally, 
but it wais necessary that the pharmacist should be ever 
ready and able to* protect the public against harmful 
mixtures. Such knowdedge and skill being required, 
the next question was how to prepare men for the pro¬ 
fession. He did not think that men who were preoccu¬ 
pied or were enthusiasts on any subject were fit to be 
pharmacists. Keenness of touch, delicate eyesight, a 
nice sense of smell, and an exquisite perception by taste 
were necessary for the skilful performance of his duties. 
No one should be allowed to attempt practising until he 
was acquainted with every detail and item of his duties ; 
therefore, the College of Pharmacy was indispensable, 
and he w*as surprised that no one had yet thought of en¬ 
dowing such an institution in Boston. As to the ques¬ 
tion whether pharmacy should be regarded as a trade or 
a profession, the point he made was that it did not make 
so much difference what it was called, provided the work 
was honestly and well done. Just in proportion as they 
maintained their integrity the calling w r ould be elevated. 
He also thought that the pharmacist could not be too 
careful in entering the inviting field of dealing in patent 
medicines. 
MEETINGS FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. 
Tuesday . Royal Medical and Cliirurgical Society , at 
June 13. 8.30 p.m. 
Photographic Society , at 8 p.m. 
Wednesday ...Microscopical Society, at 8 P.M. 
Thursday ......Royal Society, at 8.30 p.h. 
June 15. Chemical Society, at 8 p.m. — “ An Experi¬ 
mental Inquiry as to the Action of Elec¬ 
tricity on Oxygen.” By Sir B. C. Brodie. 
Linnean Society, at 8 p.m. 
Friday . Society of Arts, at 8 p.m.— Annual Conver- 
June 16. sazione at the South Kensington Museum. 
Royal Botanic Society, at 4 p.m.— “ Economic 
Botany.” By Professor Bentley. 
The following journals have been received:—The ‘British 
Medical Journal,’ June 3; the ‘Medical Times and Gazette, 
June 3: the ‘Lancet,’ June 3; the ‘Medical Press and Cir¬ 
cular,’ June 7; ‘Nature,’ June 1; the ‘Chemical News, 
June 8: ‘Gardeners’ Chronicle,’ June 3; ‘ Journal ot the 
Society of Arts,’ June 3; the ‘Grocer,’ June 3; Produce 
Markets Review,’ June 3; the ‘English Mechanic, June 3 ; 
‘Proceedings of the Royal Institution;’ ‘Journal ot Materia 
Medica ’ for May. 
