362 
3Iemoir  of  W.  H.  File. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharui. 
July,  1881. 
AVater.  Borax.  Starch  f difference). 
No.  1,  29-80  32-37  37-83  per  cent. 
No.  2,  29-94  41-04  29-22  " 
No.  3,  29-95  21-00  56-04  " 
Nos.  1  and  2  contained  wlieat  starch  and  were  perfectly  soluble  in 
hot  water ;  such  a  product  may  be  obtained  either  by  strongly  heating- 
starch  under  pressure  for  some  time  and  then  powdering  it  finely  with 
borax ;  or  starch  is  boiled  with  concentrated  borax  solution,  the 
resulting  liquid  is  evaporated  to  dryness  and  the  residue  reduced  to  a 
fine  powder. 
No.  3  contained  rice  starch,  dissolved  in  water  only  after  prolonged 
boiling  and  was  evidently  a  mechanical  mixture  of  ordinary  rice 
starch  with  finely  powdered  borax. 
On  heating  starch  with  water  and  borax,  a  nearly  clear  solution  i& 
obtained,  which  penetrates  the  fabric  immersed  in  it,  so  that  starch 
together  with  borax  is  deposited  not  only  upon  but  likewise  in  the 
fibres.  Too  large  a  quantity  of  borax  would  render  the  fabric  brittle. 
The  aJ)ove  mixtures  should  therefore  be  used  only  in  connection  with 
a  larger  quantity  of  ordinary  starch. — Phar.  Post,  1881,  No.  9,  pp. 
170-172. 
MEMOIR  OF  AVILSON  H.  PILE,  M.D. 
Read  before  the  College  at  a  steited  meeting^  Jane  27^  1881. 
Wilson  Hunt  Pile  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  October  12th,  1808; 
he  was  the  eldest  of  the  four  children  of  William  and  Sarah  Pile. 
At  the  age  of  six  years  he  attended  a  school  in  Lombard  Street  above 
Fifth,  of  which  John  Owen  was  master  and  Thomas  Smiley  and  
Goodfel low  were  ushers ;  among  his  classmates  were  a  number  who 
have  left  a  record  well  known  as  prominent  citizens. 
Through  the  kindness  of  his  early  and  life-long  friend.  Dr.  Rusch- 
enberger,  we  are  able  to  trace  his  business  career  by  his  correspondence 
with  him. 
About  the  year  1824  he  commenced  learning  the  apothecary  busi- 
ness in  the  shop  of  Elisha  Crowell,  at  the  corner  of  Fifth  and  South 
streets. 
Dec.  14,  1826.  He  writes:  ''I  have  left  the  store  on  South  street 
for  one  on  Lombard  street." 
Dec.  20,  1827.  ^' I  have  left  Mr.  Bigonett ;  hoping  to  get  another 
situation  soon." 
