876 
PHARMACEUTICAL MEETING. 
Messrs. Johnson and Matthey wished it to be stated that as long as thirty 
years ago the late Mr. Percival Johnson, of their firm, had prepared platinized 
copper and supplied it to Messrs. De Grave and Fanner, scale makers, for the 
construction of scale-pans. He (Professor Redwood) could state that he had used 
platinized scale-pans about that time, so that it certainly could not be repre¬ 
sented as a modern introduction. He could also say, as the result of his own 
experience, as well as that of others, that the platinized metal answered exceed¬ 
ingly well for that purpose. There were also on the table, supplied by the same 
house, some copper and silver dishes coated with platinum, and pieces of plati¬ 
nized metals of different sorts which had been prepared experimentally several 
years ago. The platinized dishes had proved a failure, as it was difficult to 
ensure and especially to maintain perfect continuity in the thin coating of pla¬ 
tinum which was applied by rolling over the surface of the copper. The slightest 
defect allowed acids to act on the copper and then of course the dish was ren¬ 
dered useless. 
Mr. Mackay, of Edinburgh, said he had tried the platinized scale-pans and 
found them a perfect success. He thought they answered better than those made 
of glass. 
The Chairman remarked that Messrs. Crosse and Blackwell had made some 
experiments on the use of platinum in the construction of vessels used in the 
manufacture of pickles, and he believed they now used this metal extensively 
for that purpose. 
Dr. Attfield said there was no doubt that platinized metals were first applied 
to the construction of scale-pans and for other similar purposes by Messrs. 
Johnson and Matthey, of Hatton Garden. The platinized metal appeared to 
answer well for scale-pans, but not in all cases for dishes intended for chemical 
use. The dishes exhibited on a recent occasion at ISTottingham, were supplied 
by Messrs. Johnson and Co., who professed to supply a superior article. 
PESSARY MOULDS. 
Professor Redwood drew the attention of the meeting to a method of forming 
pessaries and suppositories which had been suggested by Mr. Redford, of Liver¬ 
pool. A mould turned in wood, with a mandril fitting into it, being provided, 
these were used for making little moulds of tinfoil or paper, into which the 
melted ingredients of the pessaries or suppositories were to be poured. 
The Chairman thought this a cheap and easy method of accomplishing the 
object contemplated. 
Mr. Mackay said he had tried several methods of forming suppositories, and 
thought that moulds made of pipe-clay were better than any others. The 
method he adopted was to provide a flat piece of pipe-clay, and to make holes 
in it of the required size and form, into which the melted materials were to be 
poured. 
SPIRITUS ammonit: AROMATICUS. 
BY MR. JOHN T. MILLER. 
It is stated in Pereira’s ‘ Materia Medica ’ that the aromatic spirit of ammonia 
of the London Pharmacopoeia “ is a solution of the carbonate of ammonia.” 
Philips also describes it as containing the neutral carbonate, and remarks that 
“ as this carbonate contains only two-thirds as much carbonic acid as that pro¬ 
cured by the carbonate of lime, the greater pungency of spiritus ammoniae aro- 
maticus, than of liquor ammoniae sesquicarbonatis, is readily accounted for.” 
