PAPERS  READ  AT  THE  BRITISH  PHARM.  CONFERENCE.  529 
have  arranged  a  table  so  as  to  dispense  with  calculation.  The 
proportions  of  pure  ether,  alcohol  and  water  contained  in  any 
ether  can  be  determined  by  two  gravimetric  experiments. 
Note, — The  temperature  for  the  two  experiments  should  be 
kept  rigorously  at  +  15  ,  and  the  shaking  of  the  mixture  with 
the  dry  carbonate  of  potash,  which  is  effected  in  a  stopped  flask, 
should  last  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  minutes. — Lon.  Chemical 
News,  from  Bulletin  de  la  Socttte  Ghimique,  vi.  461,  64. 
ABSTRACTS  OF  PAPERS  READ  AT  THE  LATE  MEETING 
OF  THE  BRITISH  PHARMACEUTICAL  CONFERENCE, 
Held  at  Bath,  England,  Sept.  14, 1864. 
ON  THE  EXTRACTION  AND    PRESERVATION  OF  AROMATA.     BY  C.   R.  C.  TICH- 
BORNE,  F.  C.  S.,  CHEMIST  TO  THE  APOTHECARIES'  HALL  OF  IRELAND. 
Observing  the  preservative  powers  of  glycerin  for  vegetable 
substances,  the  author  packed  different  kinds  of  scented  flowers 
in  jars,  and  covered  them  with  glycerin.  In  this  way  he  had 
kept  some  for  two  years.  If  flowers,  &c,  so  preserved  be 
pressed,  it  is  found  that  the  glycerin  has  absorbed  all  the  vola- 
tile oil,  and  when  diluted  and  distilled  furnishes  a  water  in  all 
cases  superior  to  that  from  flowers  preserved  by  salt.  If  the 
odoriferous  glycerin  be  diluted  and  agitated  with  oils  or  fat, 
ointments,  &c,  of  excellent  quality  are  produced.  In  all  these 
cases  the  glycerin  is  recovered  by  mere  evaporation  of  water 
from  it.  The  delicate  oils  of  orange,  jasmine,  heliotrope,  etc., 
are  best  isolated  by  steeping  the  flowers  in  the  glycerin,  press- 
ing, and  again  steeping  more  flowers,  and  so  on ;  finally  diluting 
with  water  and  shaking  with  chloroform,  which  removes  the  oil. 
The  low-boiling  point  of  the  chloroform  admits  of  its  being 
separated  from  the  oil  by  a  temperature  which  does  not  injure 
the  oil. 
ON    THE  PHARMACEUTICAL  APPLICATION    OF    GLYCERIN.     BY  MR.  F.  BADEN 
BENGER. 
In  this  paper  a  short  history  was  given,  and  a  resume  of  its 
applications  in  Pharmacy.  The  preparations  known  as  "  plasma," 
in  which  glycerin  with  starch  is  substituted  for  lard,  as  a  basis 
of  ointments,  had  been  made  the  special  subject  of  experiment 
34 
