440  American  Pharmaceutical  Association.  {A\lluliFmlm 
useful  for  many  pill  masses  and  will  prevent  the  pills  from  becoming  too  dry. 
It  is  a  protective  agent  for  ferrous  iodide  and  for  hydriodic  acid  and  has  some 
advantages  when  used  with  the  hypophosphites.  For  soda  water  syrups  it 
should  be  used  rather  sparingly,  say  in  the  proportion  of  one  part  to  three  or 
four  parts  of  cane  sugar  syrup.  Mr.  Ebert  thought  this  syrup  of  dextrin  could 
be  utilized  also  in  other  ways,  provided  it  was  free  from  sulphurous  acid 
and  sulphites,  which  are  present  in  some  commercial  articles  as  preservatives. 
Glucose  cannot  be  used  for  adulterating  cane  sugar  without  forming  a  solid 
mass.    Messrs.  Calvert,  Hallberg  and  Searby  participated  in  the  discussion. 
Relative  value  of  various  pepsin  tests,  by  F.  A.  Thompson.  The  paper  was  read 
by  title  and  referred  to  the  publication  committee.  It  compares  the  results 
obtained  with  the  methods  directed  by  the  U.  S.  and  the  British  Pharmacopoeias, 
the  National  Formulary  and  with  several  modifications  The  author  favors 
complete  solution  of  a  definite  amount  of  coagulated  albumen  as  the  require- 
ment. 
Commercial  Belladonna  root. — Thirty -five  samples,  including  the  ground  and 
powdered  root,  were  assayed  by  W.  Simonson,  who  found  the  total  amount  of 
alkaloid  to  vary  between  0*220  and  0  776  per  cent.  In  view  of  the  variable 
quality  an  authoritative  standard  of  value  in  alkaloid,  at  least  for  the  lower 
limit,  is  very  desirable.  Referring  to  such  great  variations  in  the  alkaloidal 
strength  of  such  a  powerful  drug,  Mr.  Calvert  suggested  that  the  inaccuracies 
resulting  from  the  use  of  weights  and  measures  were  quite  insignificant. 
Hypophosphorous  acid  and  ferrous  solutions  were  reported  on  by  Mr.  John 
Devine.  The  acid  was  found  unsuitable  as  a  preservative  for  solutions  of  alka- 
loids; but  ferrous  solutions  were  kept  unchanged,  a  temperature  of  70°  F. 
being  better  than  60°,  and  concentrated  solutions  kept  best,  even  with  a  i da- 
tively smaller  amount  of  the  acid.  As  to  the  mode  of  action,  the  author  sug- 
gested that  possibly  the  hypophosphorous  acid  might  be  converted  into  phos- 
phinic  acid  or  an  ether.  Prof.  Maisch  expressed  the  hope  that  the  author 
might  succeed  in  proving  such  a  change  to  take  place;  he  also  stated  that, 
without  the  addition  of  a  preservative  agent,  syrup  of  ferrous  iodide  prepared 
with  hot  simple  syrup  kept  well  in  consequence  of  the  formation  of  invert 
sugar.  Mr.  Ebert  had  also  observed  that  pure  cane  sugar  would  not  prevent 
decomposition,  but  that  invert  sugar  would  do  it.  Mr.  Redsecker  had  expe- 
rienced no  trouble  in  keeping  this  syrup  unaltered  in  large  bottles  with  the 
addition  of  a  little  hypophosphorous  acid.  Mr.  Ray's  experience  coincided 
with  this.  Prof.  Searby  suggested  that  the  acid  might  have  this  preservative 
action  by  inverting  the  sugar. 
Compound  Galenical  Preparations. — Prof.  Remington  arrives  at  the  conclusion 
that  all  compound  galenical  preparations  which  have  not  thoroughly  estab- 
lished their  usefulness  throughout  the  country,  should  be  dropped  from  the 
next  revision  of  the  United  States  Pharmacopoeia ;  and  that  none  should  be 
admitted  to  that  authority  except  such  as  will  stand  the  same  test  of  extended 
usefulness  ;  and  if  admitted,  the  processes  must  commend  themselves  to  the 
practical  worker  as  models  of  simplicity  and  elegance. 
Chinese  Extract  of  Opium. — Mr.  John  Calvert  has  observed  the  process  of 
manufacturing  this  extract  as  followed  by  the  Chinese  experts  in  San  Fran- 
cisco ;  it  is  as  follows : 
The  quantity  of  opium  operated  upon,  so  that  a  workman  can  do  a  fair  day's 
