^^VsH^^ssr"^'}  Pharmaceutical  Colleges  and  Associations.  35 
MINUTES  OF  THE  PHARMACEUTICAL  MEETING. 
On  motion  of  Prof.  Remington,  Mr.  Alonzo  Bobbins  was  called  to  the 
chair;  the  minutes  of  the  last  pharmaceutical  meeting  were  read  and,  on 
motion,  approved. 
Prof.  Sadtler  read  a  paper  upon  a  coloring  matter  taken  from  a  wood 
from  South  Africa;  it  was  first  imported  by  a  dealer  in  archery  imple- 
ments, who  emploj^ed  it  in  making  bows,  it  being  very  strong  and  elastic. 
The  tree  which  produces  it  is  unknown,  but  the  wood  is  called  JRethabara 
wood.  The  paper  was  accompanied  with  specimens,  and  some  of  its  reac- 
tions with  caustic  potassa  in  comparison  with  hiiemsetoxylin  were  exhib- 
ited.   Prof.  Sadtler  will  continue  his  researches  upon  the  coloring  matter. 
A  very  interesting  paper  upon  the  extraction  of  colcMcia  from  the  seeds^ 
by  Mr.  L.  I.  Morris,  was  read  and  elicited  some  discussion ;  upon  motion, 
it  was  referred  to  the  Publishing  Committee. 
Prof.  Remington  read  a  paper  upon  the  orthography  of  the  units  of  the 
metric  system ;  the  paper  was  litened  to  with  a  great  deal  of  interest  and 
elicited  a  number  of  comments ;  upon  motion,  this  paper  was  also  referred 
to  the  Publication  Committee. 
Prof.  Maisch  presented  to  the  Cabinet  specimens  of  asbestos  from  Penn- 
sylvania, and  of  a  bark  evidently  derived  from  one  of  the  Lauracese  which 
had  found  its  way  to  Europe  and  was,  doubtless,  used  for  sophisticating 
powdered  cinnamon ;  its  origin  is  as  yet  unknown. 
There  being  no  further  business,  on  motion,  adjourned. 
T.  S.  WiEGAND,  Registrar. 
Philadelphia,  Dec.  21,  1880. 
PHARMACEUTICAL  COLLEGES  AND  ASSOCIATIONS. 
California  College  of  Pharmacy. — The  lectures  in  this  institution 
-closed  October  29th  ;  the  examinations  commenced  November  1st,  and  the 
commencement  took  place  December  7th.  The  number  of  students  in 
attendance  at  the  lectures  was  eighty,  and  of  the  graduates  eight,  from 
twelve  examined.  Three  prizes  had  been  offered,  of  which  S.  Oberdeener 
received  the  gold  medal,  F.  Lengfeld  a  set  of  reagents  and  cabinet,  and  W. 
P.  Morrison  $20.00,  or  its  equivalent  in  books. 
An  examination  of  the  junior  students  was  also  inaugurated,  to  decide 
their  eligibility  to  become  second  course  students. 
Pharmacp]utical  Society  of  Great  Britain. — A  pharmaceutical 
meeting  was  held  December  1st,  Mr.  T.  Greenish,  President,  in  the  chair. 
Dr.  Synies  exhibited  a  number  of  samples  of  cane  sugar,  and  stated  that 
sugar  as  usually  sold  contained  ultraniarin.  Two  English  samples  con- 
sisted of  the  same  sugar,  one  having  a  tinge  of  yellow,  the  other  being  of 
a  pure  dead  white,  the  only  difference  being  the  addition  of  coloring  mat- 
ter to  the  latter.  German  sugar  was  usually  more  loaded  with  l)lue  than 
English  samples.    Sugar  refiners  could  get  one  shilling  a  hundredweight 
