3 1 o  Pharmaceutical  Meeting.  { Am  j^ST™ " 
W.  S.  Weakley  sent  a  specimen  of  so-called  pure  ground  flax- 
seed accompanied  with  the  following  notes :  "The  specimen  contains 
the  following  materials:  corn  meal,  wheat  middlings,  ground  meal 
cake,  paraffin  oil  in  excess  and  a  slight  amount  of  adhering  flax- 
seed oil.  Enclosed  find  specimen  of  oil  (benzin  extractive)  and 
exhausted  meal  showing  yellowish  particles  of  corn.  After  having 
made  a  qualitative  examination  of  this  sample  it  occurred  to  me 
that  it  might  be  interesting  to  see  as  to  just  what  extent  some 
wholesale  houses  were  selling  adulterated  ground  flaxseed,  so  I 
obtained  three  samples  from  various  wholesale  houses.  Upon 
examination  I  obtained  the  following  results: 
"No.  I.  Color  in  general  about  normal;  upon  closer  examination 
yellow  particles  of  corn  were  observed;  the  odor  was  quite  different 
from  that  of  a  pure  ground  seed;  oil  found  in  excess.  Microscopical 
examination  revealed  large  quantities  of  corn  and  wheat  starch, 
together  with  the  characteristic  cellular  structure  of  corn  and  wheat. 
Upon  being  heated  with  glycerin  the  characteristic  odor  of  roasting 
corn  was  observed  The  oils  extracted  by  benzin  were  found  to  be 
a  mixture  of  flaxseed  and  paraffin. 
i(  No.  2.  Corresponded  to  above  analysis  excepting  the  presence  of 
a  slightly  larger  percentage  of  oil. 
"No.  3.  Color  lighter  than  samples  1  and  2;  presence  of  corn 
meal  demonstrated  both  macroscopically  and  microscopically;  the 
lighter  color  being  due  to  the  smaller  amount  of  oil  present,  which 
seemed  to  be  pure  flaxseed  oil." 
Charles  C.  Drueding  exhibited  a  number  of  specimens  of 
chamois  skins,  including  both  the  genuine  chamois  skin  and  the 
oil-tanned  sheep  skin.  Mr.  Procter,  in  commenting  on  the  exhibit, 
spoke  of  the  quality  of  the  skins,  and  said  that  the  gray  skins  were 
introduced  some  twelve  or  fifteen  years  ago  by  Drueding  Brothers. 
Dr.  Miller  said  that  he  thought  the  specimens  were  of  considerable 
intrinsic  value.  Professor  Kraemer  announced  that  Mr.  Drueding 
desired  to  donate  the  collection  to  the  College  and  moved  that  a 
special  vote  of  thanks  be  tendered  him,  which  motion  was  unani- 
mously adopted. 
The  chairman  spoke  of  the  success  attending  the  present  series 
of  pharmaceutical  meetings,  and  thereupon  a  vote  of  thanks  was 
tendered  the  committee  having  them  in  charge  for  their  work. 
H.  K. 
