106  Minutes  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting.  {AraYe^T;im&rm' 
Mr.  Mclntyre  called  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  tar  usually  supplied  to 
the  trade  now  is  quite  different  from  that  of  old  time  pharmacy  ;  it  is  put 
up  in  tins  and  labelled  "  steam  refined  tar;  "  the  odor  is  much  the  same,  but 
it  will  not  mix  with  fatty  bodies,  shows  whitish  specks  through  the  mixture 
and  when  strained  it  clogs  the  strainer.  Mr.  Meyer  stated  that  he  had  the 
same  experience  as  Mr.  Mclntyre ;  inquiries  about  the  origin  showed  that 
the  tar  now  sold  usually  comes  from  North  Carolina,  but  formerly  the  sup- 
ply was  from  New  Jersey ;  a  city  firm  which  sells  it  largely  refused  to  give 
any  satisfactory  information  in  regard  to  its  origin  or  manufacture.  Most 
of  that  which  is  put  up  now  in  cans  bears  the  label  of  James  Good,  and  dif- 
ferent jobbers  seem  all  to  be  supplied  with  the  same  article:  formerly  it 
came  in  small  kegs  of  about  one  or  one  and  a  half  gallons.  It  was  suggested 
to  refer  this  subject  to  a  committee  to  report  at  a  future  meeting. 
Professor  Maisch  read  a  paper  upon  Mistura  Glycyrrhizse  Comyosita  by  J. 
Harry  Buckingham,  Ph.  G. 
Mr.  Mclntyre  in  noticing  the  paper  said  that  he  would  hesitate  about 
using  ammonia  as  it  altered  the  character  of  the  preparation  by  neutralizing 
the  free  acids,  and  further  that  attempts  to  improve  the  appearance  had  not 
given  much  satisfaction  as  customers  were  used  to  a  muddy,  brown  looking 
preparation  instead  of  a  clear,  deep  red  article. 
F.  X.  Mcerk  read  a  paper  upon  "  Tests  for  Oil  of  Cotton  Seed"  In  the  dis- 
cussion which  followed  it  was  stated  that  oil  of  ben  was  not  the  same  as  sesa- 
mum,  but  was  an  abbreviation  of  behen,  which  was  a  species  of  moringa. 
Mr.  Beringer  said  he  had  used  a  mixture  of  fuming  nitric  and  sulphuric  acids 
and  water  as  a  test.  Bechi's  test  contains  amylic  alcohol  and  rape-seed  oil 
with  nitrate  of  silver ;  but  it  has  been  proven  that  amylic  alcohol  is  not  essen- 
tial to  the  test.  The  opinion  was  freely  expressed  that  most  of  the  commer- 
cial olive  oil  contains  cotton-seed  oil,  and  perhaps  other  bland  oils,  like  rape- 
seed  and  mustard-seed  oils  which  were  formerly  mixed  with  olive  oils.  One 
of  the  members  present  who  was  formerly  largely  engaged  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  lead  plaster  said  that  at  one  time  they  were  very  much  troubled  with 
olive  oil  that  would  not  yield  a  satisfactory  plaster,  that  partial  saponifica- 
tion seemed  to  take  place  and  some  principle  was  present  which  left  the 
plaster  sticky. 
Prof.  Maisch  read  a  paper  upon  the  Soluble  Gum  of  Tragacanth,  which  was 
elicited  by  some  queries  which  pointed  to  a  difference  between  the  state- 
ments of  the  Pharmacopoeia  and  of  other  works.  Dr.  Lowe  said  he  had 
tried  these  experiments  and  could  confirm  them. 
The  above  papers  were  referred  to  the  Publishing  Committee. 
The  question  about  tar  was  referred  to  Dr.  Lowe,  who  promised  to  report 
as  soon  as  possible,  though  probably  not  at  the  next  meeting. 
Mr.  Webb  said  that  for  preparing  Ointment  of  Tar,  he  had  been  in  the 
habit  of  using  about  one  part  of  wax  in  twelve  parts  of  the  ointment,  which 
gave  a  better  consistence.  There  being  no  further  business,  on  motion  ad- 
journed. 
T.  S.  WlEGAND, 
Registrar. 
