536  American  Pharmaceutical  Association.  {Am"octuri5£arm' 
Pharmacist  and  Manufacturer  was  the  subject  discussed  in  a  paper  by  Prof. 
Lloyd.  The  relations  between  the  two  are  of  such  a  nature  that  it  is  not  easy 
to  give  a  synopsis  of  the  paper  in  a  few  lines.  The  advantages  and  disad- 
vantages of  each,  in  manipulating  upon  small  and  large  quantities,  were  re- 
viewed, and  it  was  argued  that  the  manufacturer  should  aim  at  producing 
preparations  equal  to  those  made  b}^  the  skillful  pharmacist,  but  that  the 
latter  should  endeavor  to  make  most,  if  not  all,  the  pharmacopceial  prepa- 
rations. A  lengthy  discussion  followed,  in  which  among  other  things,  the 
practice  prevailing  to  some  extent,  of  making  tinctures  from  commercial 
fluid-extracts  was  criticized,  and  the  abolishment  by  the  pharmacopoeia  of 
fluid-extracts  was  advocated,  the  latter  to  be  replaced  by  fifty-per-cent. 
tinctures,  which  would  ultimately  take  the  place  of  the  stronger  and  the 
weaker  preparations,  and  in  their  manufacture  did  not  require  the  use  of  heat  . 
The  Medicines  of  Medicine  was  the  somewhat  ambiguous  title  of  a  paper 
read  by  Prof.  Painter,  referring  to  the  numerous  proprietory  articles  pre- 
scribed by  physicians,  a  practice  which  should  be  condemned  for  profes- 
sional and  scientific  reasons ;  but  unfortunately,  a  practical  remedy  for  the 
evil  was  not  suggested.  A  motion  to  publish  this  paper  for  general  distri- 
bution to  physicians,  was  tabled. 
Weights  and  Measures,  by  Alfred  B.  Taylor.  To  this  subject  the  author  has 
given  a  great  deal  of  attention,  and  has  heretofore  written  several  elaborate 
essays  in  relation  to  the  various  systems  in  use.  He  is  an  advocate  of  the 
octonary  system  of  numeration,  and  presents  his  views  in  a  clear  and  forci- 
ble manner.  The  paper,  very  naturally,  elicited  discussion  on  the  decimal 
system  and  on  the  pharmacopceial  system  for  stating  quantities.  In  rela- 
tion to  the  latter  Mr.  Hallberg  offered  a  resolution  from  the  Illinois  Phar- 
maceutical Association,  that  in  the  next  revision  of  the  U.  S.  P.  the  parts- 
by-weight  system  be  replaced  by  the  weigh t-and-volume  system  ;  that  the 
decimal  proportion  be  retained  so  as  to  harmonize  with  the  metric  system, 
and  that  relative  quantities  be  also  expressed  in  corresponding  Troy  weight 
and  U.  S.  wine  measure.  The  resolution  was  referred  to  the  Committee  on 
the  Pharmacopoeia. 
Three  papers  were  presented  by  Joseph  Feil  of  Cleveland,  on  Ground  Oint- 
ment Medicaments,  in  which  the  recommendation  is  renewed  to  prepare 
ointments  by  the  use  of  a  paint  mill ;  on  Bismuth  and  Potassium  Citrate,  which 
is  proposed  to  be  prepared  from  two  parts  of  bismuth  citrate  and  five  parts 
of  potassium  citrate,  the  two  yielding  a  clear  solution  ;  and  on  SolixiH,  which 
term  is  proposed  for  rather  concentrated  solutions  of  medicaments,  which 
are  to  be  converted  into  elixirs  by  the  addition  of  simple  elixir.  The  formu- 
las given  yield  solutions  in  alcohol,  or  in  water  and  glycerin. 
The  Percentage  of  Ethyl-nitrite  in  Washed  Nitrous  Ether,  hy  W.  Simonson,  was 
the  last  paper  presented.  It  gives  a  large  number  of  assays,  showing  the 
variation  in  strength,  if  made  by  the  same  process  at  different  times,  and  it 
is  suggested  that  in  preparing  spirit  of  nitrous  ether  it  be  assayed  to  deter- 
mine its  strength,  or  that  it  be  made  from  the  pure  ether  by  dilution. 
A  letter  from  Mr.  J.  B.  Bond  of  Little  Rock,  Arkansas,  was  read,  urging 
the  use  of  measures  of  capacity  for  liquids. 
