PHARMACEUTICAL MEETINGS. 
313 
on morning of 24th ; first and second operations large, last 
two small. 
\2mo. 30. — Administered 3vj. Ext. Alex. Senna at 2 
o'clock, P. M. ; purged very hard Jive times, at 7fr, 8, 84 
and 12, night, and at 7 on morning of 3 1st ; states the last 
purge to be much more powerful than the first. 
From these observations, it appears conclusive that the 
Alexandrian variety^possesses an activity superior to the In- 
dian, and in making preparations where the quantity of 
senna is fixed, that the former should be employed. 
In connection with this subject Professor Carson remark- 
edthat Dr. R. E. Griffith had informed him, that the leaflets 
of the Cassia marilandica when collected in the fall, before 
frost,when they are beginning to turn yellow, are much more 
active and have much more purgative power than those 
removed in the flowering season, when they are deep 
green; and he thought that a variation in the period of 
gathering might account for the difference in the activity of 
different samples of senna. 
Professor Carson presented a specimen, said to be Virgin 
Scammony, imported from England by Mr. Rushton of 
New York, which, as a rare article in our market, was refer- 
red to Charles Ellis and Edward Parrishfor examination. 
William Procter, Jr., exhibited a specimen of Valerian- 
ate of Zinc, which he had prepared by saturating the 
water, and the accompanying oil, distilled from Valerian 
with hydrated carbonate of zinc, filtering, evaporating till 
a pellicle forms, and setting aside to crystallize. The speci- 
men had a brownish color from its not having been recrys- 
tallized, to remove the coloring matter. 
William Procter, Jr., called the attention of the members 
to an idea which he had carried into practice, and which 
was a sort of combination of maceration and displacement. 
It was not offered as original, as the same principle had been 
some years since presented in a plan of making infusions, by 
Robert Alsop of London, (see Amer. Journ. Pharm., vol. 8, 
VOL. X. NO. IV 28 
