228 
Gelsemic  Acid. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
May,  1897. 
She  died  February  26,  1857,  leaving  the  following  children: 
William  M.,  Richard  M.,  Sarah  C,  Joseph  M.,  Thomas  E.  and  Ben- 
jamin H.  Shoemaker,  Jr. 
He  was  again  married  to  Ann  Summers,  of  Alexandria,  Va.,  to 
whom  were  born  the  following  children  :  James,  Roberta,  Mary  and 
Ellis  C.  Shoemaker,  and  who  survive  him. 
Robert  Shoemaker  was  a  representative  man  in  the  drug  trade  of 
Philadelphia;  conservative,  yet  progressive,  he  conducted  business 
for  sixty  years  with  skill  and  good  judgment,  and  with  a  conscien- 
tious regard  to  its  close  connection  with  the  public  welfare. 
The  sharp  competition  in  trade  in  his  latter  years  did  not  disturb 
his  broad  views  of  honorable  business  methods. 
The  benefit  of  his  long  experience  and  good  judgment  was  often 
sought  for  by  younger  men,  and  the  kindly  manner  in  which  he 
received  such  applicants  gained  for  him  their  confidence  and  respect. 
As  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  he  took  an  active  interest 
in  the  congregation  of  St.  Paul's  Church,  Chelten  Hills,  near  which 
he  resided  for  many  years.  For  a  long  time  he  was  accounting 
warden  of  the  church,  and  continued  as  such  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death.  In  the  ground  adjoining  this  church  his  mortal  remains 
were  consigned  to  rest. 
A  life  extending  to  four  score  years  may  not  be  marked  by  great 
events ;  but  measured  by  the  quiet  and  steady  pursuit  of  duties  well 
performed,  and  with  a  just  regard  of  the  interests  of  his  fellow-men, 
and  continuing  to  the  end  of  his  sojourn  here,  erects  a  monument 
to  his  memory  in  the  esteem  and  affection  of  all  who  knew  him. 
  C.  B. 
GELSEMIC  ACID. 
By  Virgil  Coblbntz. 
The  following  notes  are  intended  to  serve  as  a  preliminary  notice 
concerning  investigations  on  the  above  subject,  which  have  been 
carried  on  at  intervals  for  some  years. 
The  subject  was  taken  up  at  the  suggestion  of  Professor  Lloyd, 
who  also  kindly  supplied  the  author  with  about  50  grammes  of  an 
unusually  fine  crystalline  sample  of  undoubted  purity. 
This  principle  was  first  isolated  by  Professor  Maisch  in  1869,  named 
and  fully  described  by  Professor  Wormley  in  1870.  Professor  Worm- 
ley,  in  his  investigation,  simply  restricted  himself  to  applying  various 
