^"'Dec^'issT""  }    Minutes  of  the  Fharmaceutical  Meeting. 
The  difficulty  is  that  the  pj^rophosphate  of  iron  gelatinizes  or  preei|)i- 
tates  when  in  solution  with  the  phosphoric  acid.  This  can  be  remedied 
either  by  the  addition  of  a  few  drops  of  ammonia,  or,  better,  by  the  citrate 
of  sodium  or  ammonium.  The  alkaloids  are  dissolved  separately  and 
added  afterwards.  In  this  manner  the  difficulty  is  overcome  without 
changing  the  character  of  the  prescrij^tion. 
Prof.  Remington  exhibited  a  trifling  device  which  obviates  the  soreness 
produced  in  the  palm  of  the  hand  by  the  frequent  triturations  required  in 
use  of  the  pestle.  The  device  consists  of  a  revolving  metal  button  screwed 
to  the  top  of  the  2^^sfle  handle  so  as  to  i)ermit  the  motion  of  the  pestle 
without  any  friction  against  the  hand. 
A  guard  for  jjoison  bottles  at  the  dispensing  coimter  was  exhibited  by 
Prof.  Remington;  it  consists  of  a  metal  cap  just  large  enough  to  tit  over 
the  lip  of  the  bottle.  On  opposite  sides  of  the  lip  are  grooves,  cut  with  a 
file,  and  two  pins  are  soldered  into  the  sides  of  the  cap,  at  such  distance 
from  the  edge  of  the  cap  that  they  will  ht  under  the  lij)  of  the  vial  after 
they  have  passed  the  grooves.  By  a  partial  rotation  of  the  cap  they  fasten 
the  stopper  effectually  in  its  j^lace  till  the  cap  is  removed.  The  simplicity 
and  efficiency  elicited  general  approval.  The  arrangement  was  made  by 
T.  S.  Wiegand. 
Mr.  Boring  exhibited  a  wire  instrimient  made  in  the  shape  of  a  ladle, 
by  the  use  of  which  he  was  able  to  make  two  gallons  of  an  emulsion  of 
cod  liver  oil  in  about  fifteen  minutes. 
Mr.  Wallace  Procter  alluded  to  the  facility  with  which  emulsions  con- 
taining extract  of  cannabis,  chloroform,  etc.,  might  be  prepared  by  the 
process  recommended  for  turpentine  by  Mr.  Forbes,  of  California  (see  this 
Journal,  1872,  p.  61). 
Professor  Remington  exhibited  a  section  cutter  of  comjDaratively  inex- 
pensive construction,  which  he  had  found  very  satisfactory  for  many  pur- 
poses in  microscopy ;  the  arrangement  is  that  of  a  plate  of  brass  perforated 
with  holes  of  different  sizes,  through  which  the  substance  of  which  the 
section  is  desired  is  forced,  and  with  a  very  sharp  knife  or  razor,  ground 
flat  on  one  side  and  concave  on  the  other,  the  sections  are  removed  as 
desired. 
Prof.  Remington  also  described  a  method  of  preventing  the  rays  of  light 
from  interfering  with  the  use  of  the  monocular  microscope.  It  consists  of 
a  card  perforated  so  as  to  slide  tightly  on  the  body  of  the  microscope  just 
below  the  eye-piece. 
Mr.  A.  P.  Brown  mentioned  that  a  microscoi^e  of  very  good  quality'  for 
student's  purposes  was  made  by  Messrs.  Sidle  &  Co.,  of  Lancaster,  Pa., 
and  thought  it  desirable  to  have  the  attention  of  students  called  to  the 
same. 
A  specimen  of  castor  oil  inqjorted  from  Italy  was  exhibited  by  Mr. 
8ayre.  The  appearance  of  the  oil  is  xevy  fine,  it  being  destitute  of  color 
and  possesses  very  little  odor.  It  is  put  up  in  white  glass  vials  containing 
55  grams,  almost  two  ounces. 
Tlie  meeting  then  adjourned.  T.  8.  Wikgand. 
