328 
Pharmaceutical  Meeting, 
Am.  Jour.  Ptaarni 
June,  1897. 
Prof.  Samuel  P.  Sadtler  referred  to  the  use  of  strontium  hydrate  iu  sugar 
refining,  and  to  the  objectionable  feature  of  its  cost  when  first  suggested  for 
this  purpose,  on  account  of  the  limited  supply  of  the  minerals  of  strontium. 
The  discovery  of  other  mines  since  then  had  had  their  influence  in  decreasing 
the  cost  of  the  metal,  and  in  regard  to  its  occurrence  in  India  he  thought  it 
probable  that  the  government  or  mining  reports  would  give  some  information. 
Professor  Trimble  replied  that  the  government  officials  reported  only  a  trace 
of  strontium  salts  in  the  Singapore  soil. 
A  paper,  entitled  a  "  Note  on  Red  Mercuric  Oxide,"  was  contributed  by  Mr. 
J.  W.  England  (see  page  311).  This  was  intended  as  a  reply  to  the  criticisms 
presented  by  Mr.  Charles  H.  IyaWall,  at  the  meeting  last  month,  on  citrine 
ointment.  The  principal  remarks  of  the  author  were  on  the  question  of  the 
relative  purity  of  red  mercuric  oxide  and  metallic  mercury,  and  the  advisability 
of  substituting  the  former  for  the  latter  in  the  formula  for  citrine  ointment,  as 
a  matter  of  convenience.  His  information  in  regard  to  the  purity  of  these 
substances  did  not  accord  with  Mr.  LaWall's  statement  concerning  them,  and 
in  evidence  of  this,  extracts  from  letters  from  three  firms  of  manufacturing 
chemists  were  presented. 
Mr.  I/yman  F.  Kebler  casually  made  reference  to  a  subject  which  had  recently 
been  brought  to  his  notice.  He  said  that  a  resinous  substance,  which  had  been 
applied  to  the  trunks  of  some  of  the  trees  in  the  public  squares  of  this  city 
to  serve  as  an  obstruction  to  insects,  had  been  found  to  be  harmful  to  the  trees. 
In  experimenting  with  solvents  with  the  object  of  removing  it,  he  found  ace- 
tone to  answer  the  purpose  most  effectually. 
Some  specimens  and  other  objects  added  to  the  interest  of  the  meeting  as 
follows  : 
A  curious  specimen  of  a  growing  plant  of  Japanese  cultivation  was  loaned  by 
Mr.  Howard  B.  French.  It  belonged  to  the  natural  order  Coniferse,  and 
in  outline  strikingly  resembled  a  fowl,  the  fictitious  name  "Ibis  firm  a  "  being 
significant  of  this. 
A  copy  of  letters  patent,  which  was  an  elaborate  and  formidable  document, 
granted  during  the  reign  of  George  II  of  England,  for  a  medicine  "Oleum 
Anodinum,"  was  presented  by  Mr.  Chas.  Bullock. 
Professor  Trimble  called  attention  to  a  large  specimen  of  canaigre  root,  show- 
ing the  influence  of  cultivation,  and  to  one  of  natural  growth,  much  smaller  in 
size,  both  of  them  having  grown  at  Rialto,  California. 
Among  the  samples  was  one  of  calcium  carbide,  presented  by  Mr.  J.  O. 
McHenry,  of  this  city. 
An  improved  attachment  for  the  "  Moffatt  Formaldehyde  Generator,"  pre- 
sented by  the  agents,  Messrs.  Eli  Iyilly  &  Co.,  of  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  was 
exhibited. 
The  chairman  believed  in  the  efficacy  of  the  apparatus  as  a  disinfecting 
agent,  but  said  that,  in  order  to  insure  the  generation  of  the  gas,  it  was  neces- 
sary to  carefully  adjust  the  wick. 
On  motion,  the  meeting  adjourned. 
Thos.  S.  Wikgand,  Registrar. 
