28o 
Pharmaceutical  Meeting. 
A.m.  Jour.  Pharm. 
May,  1897. 
The  first  paper  presented  was  on  ' '  Observations  on  Some  Recent  Suggestions 
Concerning  Ointment  of  Mercuric  Nitrate,"  by  Charles  H.  La  Wall.  This 
paper  furnished  the  occasion  for  an  interesting  discussion,  during  which  several 
important  practical  points  were  brought  out. 
In  reference  to  the  permanence  of  Citrine  ointment,  Mr.  F.  W.  E.  Stedem 
said  that  he  had  kept  it  for  more  than  six  months  without  any  apparent 
change  having  taken  place.  He  also  remarked  that  by  thorough  oxidation  of 
the  oil  previous  to  the  addition  of  the  mercuric  nitrate  solution,  granulation, 
which  so  often  occurs,  was  prevented. 
Mr.  La  Wall  believed  that  the  variability  in  quality  of  this  ointment  was 
largely  due  to  difference  in  manipulation.  He  also  spoke  in  reference  to  its 
keeping  quality,  and  said  that  this  property  was  enhanced  by  heating  the 
mixture  after  addition  of  the  mercuric  nitrate  solution,  until  effervescence 
ceased. 
The  next  paper,  which  was  on  a  comparative  analysis  of  the  root,  rhizome 
and  stem  of  "Gelsemium,"  by  L.  E.  Sayre,  was  read  by  T.  S.  Wiegand. 
The  results  showed  that  the  constituents  upon  which  the  therapeutic  value 
of  the  drug  depends  were  not  present  in  the  stem,  and  the  author,  there- 
fore, concluded  that  an  admixture  of  this  part  of  the  plant  must  reduce  the 
value  of  the  drug. 
With  reference  to  the  use  of  gelsemium  as  a  remedial  agent,  Mr.  W.  L.  Cliffe 
said  that  other  drugs  possessing  similar  properties  appeared  to  be  more  fre- 
quently prescribed. 
Dr.  Lowe  considered  it  valuable  in  cases  of  facial  neuralgia,  but  did  not  favor 
its  use  where  aconite  was  indicated. 
An  interesting  contribution  on  "The  Presence  of  Starch  and  Strontium  Sul- 
phate in  Opium  and  their  Influence  on  Assaying,"  prepared  by  Lyman  F. 
Kebler  and  Charles  H.  LaWall,  was  read  by  the  former. 
The  authors  stated  that  starch  had  been  found  in  opium  in  a  number  of 
instances,  the}^  themselves  having  found  wheat  starch  in  opium  assayed  during 
the  past  two  years.  The  amount  found  by  them  varied  from  a  trace  to  8  per 
cent.  But  as  this  substance  does  not  influence  the  results  in  assaying  they 
questioned  whether  or  not  it  could  be  regarded  as  an  adulterant  in  the  true 
sense  of  the  word,  since  the  only  requirement  for  opium  is  that  it  shall  contain 
a  certain  amount  of  morphine. 
A  matter  for  more  serious  consideration  was  the  presence  of  strontium  sul- 
phate in  opium,  which  substance,  even  in  the  most  carefully  conducted  assays, 
according  to  the  U.S. P.  method,  was  found  to  increase  the  percentage  of 
crude  morphine. 
For  correcting  the  results  the  authors  recommeded  the  ash  method  as  prob- 
ably being  the  best,  considering  the  present  impurities  in  opium. 
In  addition  to  the  consideration  of  the  papers,  a  number  of  subjects  possess- 
ing particular  interest  for  the  retail  pharmacist  were  presented  for  discussion, 
and  altogether  the  meeting  was  one  of  the  most  profitable  of  the  present  series. 
On  motion,  the  meeting  adjourned. 
Thos.  S.  Wiegand, 
Registrar, 
