536  British  Pharmaceutical  Conference.  {Am,oc0tu,ri889!arm' 
gled  out  as  one  in  which  the  proportional  parts  formula  differs  from  that  in 
which  imperial  weights  and  measures  are  used,  and  an  amended  formula  was 
given  by  which  it  was  claimed  that  a  true  1  per  cent,  solution  could  be  obtained 
whether  the  imperial  weights  and  measures  or  the  proportional  quantities  were 
used.  Following  up  a  suggestion  made  by  Dr.  Attfield,  Mr.  Macpherson  has 
sirjce  extended  his  work  and  now  presented-a  series  of  formulae  for  the  other 
liquors  constructed  on  the  same  principle.  For  the  sake  of  uniformity  imperial 
quantities  for  eight  ounces  of  solution  are  given  in  each  case ;  otherwise  official 
data  have  been  adhered  to  as  far  as  consistent  with  bringing  the  finished  pro- 
ducts into  consonance  with  their  reputed  strength. 
On  Liquor  Morpkinse  Meconatis. — Following  up  his  work  on  the  official  liquors 
still  further,  Mr.  Macpherson  proposed  in  another  note  that  solution  of  mecon- 
ate  of  morphine  should  be  brought  into  uniformity  with  the  other  alkaloidal 
solutions,  and  made  to  contain  one  per  cent,  of  meconate  of  morphine  instead 
of  about  11  per  cent,  of  the  "  bimeconate,"  as  stated  in  the  present  official  for- 
mula. For  this  purpose  he  has  contrived  two  formulae,  one  starting  with  mor- 
phine meconate  and  the  other  with  morphine  hydrate.  Mr.  Macpherson  also 
proposes  that  the  name  of  the  preparation  should  be  changed  to  fi  Liquor  Mor- 
phinse  Meconatis,"  as  being  more  correct  than  the  present  official  one,  the 
"  bimeconate  "  having  been  shown  by  Dott  in  his  Journal  to  be  a  hypothetical 
compound. 
Strength  of  Prussic  Acid. — In  view  of  the  fact  that  solutions  supplied  as 
Scheele's  prussic  acid  are  known  to  vary  in  strength,  Mr.  Wright's  report  on  the 
strength  of  some  commercial  samples  examined  by  him  serves  a  useful  pur- 
pose. It  appeared  that  the  range  in  twelve  commercial  samples  was  be- 
tween 3  6  and  5  7  per  cent,  of  HCy,  or  a  difference  of  no  less  than  2*1  per  cent. 
Mr.  Wright  suggests  that  the  Formulary  Committee  might  do  something 
towards  securing  more  uniformity  in  the  strength  of  this  potent  agent. 
Menstrua  for  Aconite  and  Belladonna. — With  a  view  to  ascertaining  whether 
chloroform  presents  any  advantages  over  alcohol  in  the  extraction  of  aconite 
and  belladonna,  as  suggested  in  Squire's  ''Companion,"  Mr.  Wright  made  a 
series  of  experiments  using  alcohol,  chloroform  and  mixtures  of  alcohol  and 
chloroform  in  different  proportions  as  menstrua.  With  belladonna  the  best 
results  were  obtained  with  a  mixture  of  four  paits  of  alcohol  and  one  of 
chloroform,  20  cc.  of  a  tincture  made  by  maceration  and  percolation  of  50 
grams  of  the  powdered  root  with  sufficient  menstruum  to  produce  100  cc.  con- 
taining 40  milligrams  of  alkaloid,  against  30  milligrams  contained  in  the  same 
quantity  of  a  rectified  spirit  tincture,  and  11  milligrams  in  a  chloroform 
tincture.  In  the  case  of  aconite  the  oest  results  were  obtained  with  a  mixture 
of  three  volumes  of  alcohol  and  one  of  chloroform,  20  cc.  containing  76  milli- 
grams of  alkaloid  against  66  milligrams  in  the  alcoholic  tincture  and  34  milli- 
grams in  the  chloroform  tincture. 
Sodium  Salicylate. — A  third  note  by  Mr.  Wright  related  to  an  impurity  ob- 
served in  a  sample  of  commercial  sodium  salicylate,  which  was  not  easily  and 
completely  soluble  in  c>>ld  water.  An  examination  of  the  insoluble  residue 
lefc  no  doubt  that  it  consisted  of  salicylic  acid. 
On  Casearia  Esculenta — The  last  paper  read  was  a  contribution  from  India, 
being  an  account,  by  Dr.  Mootooswamy,  of  Tarjore,  of  a  drug  said  to  be 
coming  into  use  as  a  remedy  for  chronic  enlargement  of  the  liver,  hepatic  ob- 
