PHARMACEUTICAL MEETINGS. 
71 
A communication was received from Edward Parrish, on 
"Syrup of Chamomile," whichwas read and referred for 
examination to A. Duhamel and Wm. Procter, Jr. 
A communication from Peter Lehman, on Stewart's 
formula for Hydrarg. C. Creta, which was read and referred 
to the Publication Committee. 
Augustine Duhamel presented a fine specimen of butter 
of Cacas, in the form in which it was received from South 
America. 
William Procter, Jr., presented a specimen of Senegin, 
or polygalic acid, and stated that it had been separated from 
a tincture of Seneka made with diluted alcohol, and which 
had been exposed in a cold situation during several months. 
The powder thus deposited, after solution in boiling alcohol, 
from which it separated on cooling, was found to be nearly 
pure polygalic acid. Its taste is very pungent, and has the 
properties of that substance as described in the books. 
Professor Bridges called the attention of the meeting to 
some experiments he had been making on the property 
which anthracite possesses of absorbing gaseous ammonia, 
like ordinary charcoal. The views of Liebig relative to 
the part which carbon performs in the soil of absorbing 
gaseous bodies, particularly ammonia, he thought might be 
applicable to anthracite ; and that the large quantities of 
of pulverised coal which exists and is constantly formed 
at the mines and depots for this substance, might be ap- 
plied to manure. Dr. Bridges found that a solid fragment 
would absorb five and a half times its bulk of ammonia ; 
in small pieces, eleven times its bulk ; in coarse powder, 
twenty-eight times its bulk ; and in fine powder a greater 
quantity. Should experience prove the efficiency of this 
material as a fertilizing agent, it will add another to its 
already numerous features of usefulness. 
William Procter, Jr., stated that having occasion recently 
to prepare some mercuriarplaster, he varied the formula so 
far as to triturate the mercury with one-fourth of the pre- 
