316  Minutes  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting.  {AmjJunJ;im™m' 
fetid  translucent  variety  called  king  in  India  is  derived,  according  to  Mr. 
Dymock,  from  Ferula  alliacea. 
Mr.  Wallace  Procter  said  that  in  1867  his  father  brought  from  England 
some  asafetida  in  distinct  opaque  tears.  Asafetida  is  also  seen  in  our  com- 
merce consisting  of  tears,  to  which  usually  a  small  quantity  of  the  yellowish 
mass  with  earthy  matter  is  adhering;  occasionally  a  softer  kind,  containing 
little  of  the  adulterated  mass  is  met  with.  The  Actuary  stated  that  about 
1867  a  lot  of  asafetida  was  put  upon  the  market  which  consisted  of  7  or 
8  per  cent,  of  soluble  matter,  the  remainder  being  nearly  altogether  sulphate 
of  calcium.    It  agreed  with  Pereira's  stony  asafetida. 
Mr.  C.  Carroll  Meyer  exhibited  a  specimen  of  amber  resin  of  guaiacum  and 
read  some  notes  referring  to  the  testing,  which  showed  the  article  to  be  pure 
(see  page  286).  By  distilling  the  alcohol  from  a  quantity  of  tincture  of 
guaiacum  for  which  there  was  no  further  use,  Prof.  Maisch  said  he  had  ob- 
tained pure  guaiac  resin,  which  strongly  resembled  the  sample  submitted  by 
Mr.  Meyer. 
Dr.  Lowe  exhibited  a  graduated  measure  which,  after  being  broken  in  the 
foot,  had  been  fastened  in  a  tin  box-lid  with  plaster  of  Paris.  Several 
members  stated  they  had  done  this  for  years'  and  found  such  measures  more 
durable  than  glass-footed  ones.  t 
Mr.  Beringer  exhibited  a  sample  of  glycolin,  a  petroleum  product  made 
in  this  city.  It  is  one  of  the  lower  paraffins,  is  possessed  of  peculiar  solvent 
powers,  and  on  account  of  its  non-irritating  qualities  and  freedom  from  odor 
is  recommended  as  a  substitute  for  glycerin  in  the  treatment  of  wounds, 
affections  of  the  skin  and  scalp,  and  for  the  treatment  of  inflamed  mucous 
surfaces.  The  sample  submitted  was  colorless  and  had  a  specific  gravity  of 
0*8662;  it  is  readily  miscible  with  fixed  and  volatile  oils  with  the  exception 
of  castor  oil.  Chloroform  and  ether  mix  with  it  in  all  proportions  ;  alcohol 
and  glycerin  are  insoluble  in  it,  and  carbolic  acid  in  liquid  state  is  immis- 
cible; but  the  crystallized  acid  forms  an  opalescent  white  solution;  creasote, 
however,  readily  dissolves  into  a  clear  solution.  It  is  also  a  solvent  for 
iodine,  bromine,  sulphur  and  beta-naphthol,  naphthalin,  menthol,  thymol, 
camphor  and  iodoform.  Some  of  the  alkaloids  are  likewise  soluble  in  it, 
veratrine  yielding  a  two  per  cent,  solution,  cocaine  a  six  per  cent,  solution. 
On  treating  with  about  two  per  cent,  of  quinine  on  cooling  a  gelatinous  mass 
is  formed.   It  is  also  a  good  diluent  for  oleic  acid  and  oleates. 
Mr.  Mclntyre  alluded  to  the  expunging  of  compound  resin  cerate  from  the 
pharmacopoeia,  and  expressed  his  opinion  that  it  should  be  restored. 
Mr.  Moerk  read  some  extracts  from  a  paper  by  Dr.  Bernardy  that  Mr.  Eng- 
land had  sent  to  him  for  that  purpose  detailing  the  superiority  of  mercuric 
iodide  over  the  bichloride  of  mercury  as  an  antiseptic  showing  that  solutions 
of  one  part  in  four  thousand  of  the  solvent  were  fully  equal  to  one  part  of 
the  mercuric  chloride  in  two  thousand  of  solvent,  and  at  the  same  time  less 
toxic  and  less  irritant ;  the  solution  of  the  mercuric  iodide  is  always  made 
by  means  of  potassium  iodide. 
Professor  Maisch  exhibited  a  log  of  Pinus  palustris,  which  had  been  sent 
to  Mr.  Bullock  for  the  college  from  North  Carolina.  It  illustrates  the  method 
