636  Minutes  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting.  {Am-Decr,'i887arm- 
Mr.  Jos.  England  asked  whether  the  antiseptic  power  was  not  in  proportion 
to  the  solubility  of  the  preservative ;  this  was  answered  by  the  statement  that 
antiseptics  and  antiferments  were  dissolved  when  used  for  liquids. 
Prof.  Remington  stated  that  corrosive  chloride  of  mercury  was  generally  con* 
sidered  the  most  efficient  antiseptic,  while  of  late  potassio-mercuric-iodide  has 
been  praised  very  greatly;  these  substances  are  so  strongly  poisonous  that 
their  free  use  is  not  unattended  with  danger.  The  Britannic — the  steamer  in 
which  some  cases  of  cholera  appeared  on  her  recent  voyage — had  been  fumi- 
gated and  disinfected  with  solution  of  mercuric  chloride  ;  this  treatment  would 
render  the  steamer  quite  undesirable  as  a  passenger  vessel. 
Mr.  Rosengarten  said  that  in  cryolite  we  had  a  source  of  fluosilicate  of 
sodium  adequate  to  any  demand,  and  if  prepared  on  a  large  scale  it  could  be 
produced  at  quite  low  figures. 
Mr.  Robert  England  said  that  he  had  noticed  where  unfermented  wine  had 
been  used,  it  had  produced  symptoms  of  disordered  stomach,  which  he  thought 
due  to  the  boroglyceride  used  in  preserving  the  wine. 
Mr.  Stewart  Culin  was  introduced  to  the  meeting,  and  read  a  very  interesting 
paper  upon  the  Chinese  Drug  Stores  in  America.  The  paper  was  accompanied 
with  samples  of  various  drugs  prepared  for  use,  and  with  pills  of  various  sizes 
protected  with  coatings  of  vegetable  wax;  the  instruments  with  which  the 
work  of  the  store  was  accomplished  were  exhibited.  Some  of  these  remedies 
were  intended  to  cure  sick  people,  while  others  were  given  with  the  design  of 
keeping  the  customers  from  becoming  sick.  The  meeting  was  much  pleased 
with  the  paper  and  passed  a  vote  of  thanks  to  Mr.  Culin  for  the  trouble  he  had 
taken  in  presenting  so  interesting  a  paper. 
A  paper  upon  Fluid  Extract  of  Burdock  was  read  by  Mr.  E.  C.  Lesher,  the 
results  having  been  reached  by  experiments  made  in  the  pharmaceutical 
laboratory  of  the  college.  Prof.  Remington  stated  that  there  were  other 
students  engaged  in  similar  work  in  the  laboratory,  and  that  more  informa- 
tion of  this  character  might  be  expected  from  the  same  department. 
Mr.  Clark,  of  the  present  senior  class,  read  a  paper  upon  the  Comparative 
Value  of  Vegetable  and  Animal  Glycerins.  The  summary  of  this  paper  was  that  the 
glycerins  were  about  equal  in  quality,  and  yet  the  price  of  that  from  vegetable 
oils  is  considerably  higher.  To  the  inquiry  whether  glycerin  obtained  from 
cotton-seed  oil  was  used  in  the  arts  now,  the  reply  was  that  the  vegetable 
glycerin  reported  on  was  made  by  Procter  &  Gamble  Co  ,  of  Cincinnati,  and 
was  so  considered ;  but  that  there  was  no  authority  given  by  the  makers  for 
such  a  statement. 
Mr.  Clark  also  read  a  paper  upon  Wood  Alcohol,  a  product  of  greatly  increased 
interest  within  the  last  few  years,  as  a  substitute  for  ethylic  alcohol,  its  price 
being  much  lower  ;  it  should  also  be  noted  that  it  is  a  solvent  for  gum  shellac 
of  much  greater  power  than  ethylic  alcohol. 
Mr.  Joseph  W.  England  read  a  paper  upon  Powdered  Camphor,  and  presented 
specimens  prepared  both  by  the  usual  and  new  way. 
Mr.  Moerk  read  a  paper  upon  Linseed  Oil,  giving  results  of  tests  made  with  oil 
obtained  in  different  ways. 
The  papers  read  were  referred  to  the  Committee  on  Publication. 
There  being  no  further  business  a  motion  to  adjourn  was  made  and  carried. 
T.  S.  Wiegand,  Registrar. 
