ArebJr°uaryffmm'}      Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy.  95 
Prof.  Henry  Kraemer  read  a  paper  on  :  "  The  Pharmacopoeia  and 
the  Microscopic  Examination  of  Vegetable  Drugs."  In  the  course 
of  this  paper  he  reviewed  the  descriptions  of  crude  and  powdered 
drugs  that  have  been  included  in  the  more  recent  European  phar- 
macopoeias and  discussed  at  some  length  the  reasons  why  equally 
satisfactory  descriptions  had  not  been  included  in  the  recent,  eighth 
decennial,  revision  of  our  own  pharmacopoeia.  Even  at  the  present 
time  the  value  of  the  compound  microscope  in  determining  the 
identity  of  crude  drugs  and  in  detecting  adulterations,  contamina- 
tions, deterioration  and  changes  caused  by  exhausting  the  drug,  is 
thoroughly  well  established  and  the  very  near  future  will  undoubt- 
edly demonstrate  that  the  microscope  is  absolutely  indispensable 
in  the  examination  and  valuation  of  all  drugs  of  vegetable  origin. 
Prof.  Chas.  H.  LaWall,  in  discussing  the  papers  that  had  been 
presented,  pointed  out  that  the  subject  of  alkaloidal  assay  was  one 
of  very  great  importance  and  suggested  that  variations  in  results 
are  not  infrequently  obtained  through  careless  sampling. 
Prof.  I.  V.  S.  Stanislaus  suggested  the  advisability  of  working  out 
a  reliable  method  for  determining  the  camphor  content  of  camphor 
liniment  and  spirit  of  camphor. 
The  papers  were  liberally  discussed  by  a  number  of  the  members 
and  visitors  present. 
The  meeting  of  the  local  branch,  for  February,  will  be  devoted  to 
the  consideration  of:  "The  Retail  Druggists'  Responsibilities  in 
Connection  with  the  Great  Black  Plague." 
M.  I.  Wilbert, 
Secretary. 
PHILADELPHIA  COLLEGE  OF  PHARMACY. 
The  quarterly  meeting  of  the  members  of  the  College  was  held 
December  30,  1907,  at  4.30  p.  m.  in  the  Library.  The  president, 
Howard  B.  French,  presided.  Twelve  members  were  present.  The 
minutes  of  the  semi-annual  meeting,  held  September  30th,  were 
read  and  approved.  The  minutes  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  for  the 
meetings  held  September  12th,  October  1st  and  5th,  and  November 
6th  were  read  by  the  Registrar  and  approved. 
A  large  portrait  of  the  late  James  T.  Shinn,  treasurer  of  the  college, 
was  presented  by  our  fellow  member,  F.  Gutekunst,  the  well  known 
