Am.  Jour,  Pharrn. 
Nov.,  18S9. 
Editorial. 
587 
twenty  other  volumes  were  designed  for  the  library.  On  motion  a  vote  of 
thanks  of  the  College  was  directed  to  be  returned  for  the  gift. 
Professor  Trimble  read  a  paper  on  food  plants  in  use  among  the  Indians, 
which  had  been  sent  to  him  by  Dr.  V.  Harvard,  TL  S.  Army  Surgeon,  stationed 
at  Fort  Abraham  Lincoln.  The  reading  elicited  some  discussion  about  the  value 
of  Peu2edanum  eurycarpum  as  a  food,  and  on  motion  the  paper  was  referred 
to  the  publication  committee. 
Profes-or  Trimble  also  read  a  paper,  extracted  from  theses,  upon  two  plants  of 
the  natural  order  of  Labiatae — scullcap  and  catnep,  by  Mr.  Carvosso  O.  Myers,  Ph« 
G.,  and  H.  R.  Gillispie,  Ph.  G.  This  paper  was  also  referred  to  the  publication 
committee.  Dr.  Lowe  said  that  he  thought  the  former  of  these  plants  was 
losing  its  place  in  the  estimation  of  physicians,  and  the  latter  never  was  pre- 
scribed, although  it  was  a  domestic  remedy  of  frequent  resort  in  infantile  colic. 
Professor  Trimble  inquired  if  beech  tar  was  used  in  pharmacy,  and  the  reply 
was  in  the  negative,  but  that  creasote  from  beech  wood  was  considered  the 
proper  article  for  medicinal  use  ;  that  but  little  of  the  commercial  creasote  was 
true  creasote,  but  that  beech  wood  creasote  could  be  had  by  those  who  wanted 
it.  Dr.  Lowe  said  that  it  was  a  good  thing  for  the  students  to  know  that  two 
drops  of  this  creasote  in  a  small  quantity  of  water  is  an  excellent  remedy  for 
the  hiccough  attendant  upon  drunkenness ;  that  it  might  be  of  considerable 
money  value  to  remember  this. 
Mr.  Boring  said  that  he  had  a  prescription  for  a  few  granules  of  Atropia  tIq 
of  a  grain  each,  and  that  no  particular  make  was  designated;  that  he  used  a 
half  grain  of  atropia,  dissolved  it  in  a  fiuidrachm  of  water  and  used  five  min- 
ims of  the  solution  to  mix  with  sufficient  sugar  of  milk  and  a  little  althea 
powder  to  form  into  the  five  granules  of  the  desired  strength. 
Several  members  thought  it  was  a  very  good  method  of  compounding  such  a 
prescription  as  the  weighing  of  such  a  small  quantity  as  the  twenty-fourth  of 
a  grain  would  be  very  difficult.  It  was  remarked  that  the  compounding  of  a 
prescription  was  one  of  the  first  duties  of  an  apothecary,  and  that  when  no 
special  make  was  designated  it  was  the  right  of  the  apothecary  to  make  the 
preparation  himself. 
A  member  made  inquiry  whether  the  hydriodic  acid  made  by  the  process 
of  the  Pharmacopoeia  was  not  equal  to  any  of  the  preparations  so  commonly 
pushed  upon  the  notice  of  the  physicians  and  apothecaries.  It  should  be 
noted  that  hydriodic  acid  is  now  officinal  in  the  form  of  syrup. 
There  being  no  further  business,  a  motion  to  adjourn  was  made  and  carried. 
T.  S.WIEGAND, 
Registrar. 
EDITOEIAL  DEPARTMENT. 
New  Pharmacopoeias. — During  the  summer  a  new  pharmacopoeia  for  Austria 
has  been  published,  and  a  new  German  pharmacopoeia  will  probably  make  its 
appearance  during  the  coming  year.  The  commission  appointed  for  the  last- 
named  country  consists  of  thirty  members,  among  whom  are  to  be  found  some  of 
the  best  known  German  pharmacists  and  teachers  of  pharmacy,  like  Yulpius, 
Schacht,  Brunnengrreber,  Fliickiger,  Hilger,  etc.  The  medical  profession  is  like- 
wise represented  by  well-known  men.    During  the  month  of  October  the  com- 
