AMERICAN  PHARMACEUTICAL  ASSOCIATION.  435 
The  Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Scientific  Queries  read 
the  report  in  full,  with  the  acceptances,  which  was  accepted,  and 
referred  to  the  Executive  Committee  for  publication  in  the 
minutes. 
To  The  American  Pharmaceutical  Association. 
The  Committee  on  Scientific  Queries,  appointed  at  the  last  Annual 
Meeting,  report  the  following  as  the  result  of  their  labors : 
Query  1st. — What  is  the  best  form  of  Apparatus  by  which  pressure 
steam,  generated  by  gas  or  petroleum  heat,  may  be  applied  for  evapora- 
tion, distillation,  etc.,  on  a  moderate  scale,  at  the  working  counter  of  the 
shop,  so  that  the  condensed  steam  shall  return  to  the  boiler,  combining 
efficiency  and  compactness  with  economy? 
Accepted  by  William  Procter,  Jr.,  of  Philadelphia. 
Query  2d. — Pharmaceutical  Business — its  management. 
Accepted  by  Frederick  Stearns,  of  Detroit. 
Query  3d. — What  are  the  comparative  advantages,  as  to  economy  and 
efficiency,  of  Percolation  and  the  Press  ? 
Accepted  by  Dr.  R.  H.  Stabler,  of  Alexandria. 
Query  4th. — What  form  of  mill  is  best  adapted  to  the  use  of  the 
Pharmaceutist  ?  Accepted  by  Dr.  R.  H.  Stabler,  of  Alexandria. 
Query  5th. — What  material  is  best  adapted  for  Press  Cloths,  com- 
bining strength,  cheapness,  and  slight  absorbing  power  for  liquids  ? 
Accepted  by  Dr.  R.  H.  Stabler,of  Alexandria. 
It  has  been  asserted  that  Senna  contains  crysophanic  Acid,  and  that 
its  activity  is  probably  due  to  that  principle. 
Query  6th. — Can  crysophanic  Acid  be  isolated  from  either  Alex- 
andria or  India  Senna,  and,  if  so,  can  it  be  proven  that  this  Acid  con- 
tributes in  greater  or  less  degree  to  the  purgative  power  of  Senna  and 
Rhubarb  ?  Accepted  by  F.  W,  Sennewald,  of  St.  Louis. 
Query  7th. — In  what  respects  do  the  sensible  properties  of  the  leaves 
of  Hyoscyamus  and  Belladonna,  grown  and  cured  in  the  United  States, 
differ  from  the  leaves  of  these  plants  imported  from  England  and  Ger- 
many, as  presented  in  commerce ;  do  the  latter  contain  more  of  the 
respective  alkaloids  than  the  former;  and,  if  so,  is  this  difference  due  to 
soil,  climate,  and  culture  ?     Accepted  by  Lewis  Dohme,  of  Baltimore. 
Query  8th. — What  are  the  impurities  of  cheap  Commercial  Glycerin  ; 
can  they  be  removed  economically  without  distillation,  so  as  to  render 
the  Glycerin  colorless,  odorless,  and  cheap ;  and,  if  not,  what  is  the  best 
practical  process  and  apparatus  for  the  distillation  of  Glycerin  with 
superheated  steam  ?  Accepted  by  James  F.  Babcock,  of  Boston. 
Query  9th. — What  are  the  impurities  in  Commercial  Valerianate  of 
Ammonia;  can  it  be  purified,  without  decomposition,  from  Butyrate  and 
other  salts,  when  present;  if  not,  what  is  the  best  process  for  obtaining 
pure  Valerianic  Acid  from  the  Amylic  Alcohol  of  Commerce,  and  what 
are  the  most  eligible  forms  for  administering  the  salt  in  question  ? 
Accepted  by  N.  Gray  Bartlett,  of  Chicago. 
Query  10th. — What  change  ean  be  made  in  the  composition  of  Em- 
plastrum  Picis  cum  Cantharide  that  will  render  its  consistence  firmer  in 
warm  weather?  Accepted  by  George  C.  Close,  of  Brooklyn. 
Query  11th. — What  is  the  best  course  to  be  pursued  by  the  apothecary 
in  economizing  the  alcohol  used  in  preparing  fluid  extracts,  etc.  ? 
Accepted  by  N.  Gray  Bartlett,  of  Chicago. 
