88  Pharmaceutical  Colleges  and  Associations,  {  A Ve°b?i87h8arm* 
Thos.  L.  Jenks  5  Vice  Presidents,  Nathaniel  J.  Rust  and  Jos.  Burnett  ;  Executive 
Committee,  A.  Sigourney  Bird,  Thos.  Doliber,  Thos.  Restieaux,  Wm.  S  Folger, 
Chas.  C.  Goodwin,  Joel  S.  Orne  and  Geo.  T.  Sears  ;  Secretary,  William  F.  Horton; 
Treasurer,  Samuel  A.  D.  Sheppard. 
The  annual  dinner  was  subsequently  served  in  Parker's  large  dining  hall,  about 
seventy  participating  in  the  festivities,  which,  to  judge  from  the  toasts  offered  and 
the  spirited  manner  they  were  replied  to,  must  have  been  highly  enjoyed  by  all. 
Alumni  Association  of  the  Massachusetts  College  of  Pharmncy. — The  regu- 
lar monthly  meeting  was  held  at  the  College  rooms,  January  3d,  President  Kelley  in 
the  chair. 
Mr.  Bartlett  showed  an  apparatus  for  coating  pills  nvith  gelatin,  consisting  of 
needles  fastened  in  wood  with  points  upward.  The  pills,  when  made,  are  stuck 
severally  on  the  points  of  the  needles,  and  then  holding  the  block  of  wood  in  the 
hand,  all  the  pills  are  dipped  at  the  same  time  into  the  coating  solution  of  gelatin. 
Mr.  Bartlett  had  found  by  experiment  that  this  solution  could  best  be  made  as  fol- 
lows: French  gelatin,  6  troyounces  ;  water,  2  pints ;  dissolve  by  heat,  and  to  the 
hot  solution  add  1  oz.  alcohol  ;  cover  immediately  very  tightly  to  prevent  escape  of 
alcohol  vapor,  and  allow  to  cool  with  occasional  agitation.  The  alcohol  is  simply 
for  the  purpose  of  preserving  the  preparation.  The  pills  should  be  dipped  six  times 
into  the  solution,  which  should  be  very  hot  and  liquid.  Allow  each  coating  of 
gelatin  to  dry  thoroughly  before  putting  on  the  next.  This  usually  requires  sev- 
eral hours. 
Prof.  Markoe  read  an  extract  from  Mohr,  Redwood  &  Procter's  Pharmacy,  page 
509,  showing  that  substantially  this  process  was  used  years  ago,  and  that  the  alleged 
claim  of  certain  manufacturers  to  any  proprietorship  in  the  process  was  unfounded. 
Discussion  here  ensued  as  to  the  proportion  of  gelatin  to  be  used.  In  the  article 
read  by  Prof.  Markoe,  the  proportion  was  1  part  gelatin  to  2  parts  water.  Mr. 
Lincoln  and  others  thought  that  for  extemporaneous  use  a  single  dipping  in  a  solu- 
tion of  gelatin  would  be  the  best  plan.  Mr.  Bartlett  stated  that  such  had  not  been 
his  experience.  Thick  or  cool  solutions  of  gelatin  were  apt  to  be  stringy.  Mr.  Bart- 
lett closes  up  the  hole  made  by  the  needle  by  applying  gelatin  solution  with  a  camel's 
hair  pencil. 
A  long  and  lively  discussion  here  ensued  as  to  the  use  by  educated  pharmacists 
of  coated  pills,  fluid  extracts  and  such  like  goods,  made  by  the  large  manufacturers. 
The  general  feeling  was  that  we  should  discourage  the  use  of  all  goods  that  cannot 
be  tested  easily  by  the  pharmacist,  to  determine  the  quality,  etc. 
Several  gentlemen  took  the  ground  that  we  should  not  attempt  to  make  any  sweeping 
statements  relative  to  these  goods,  because  it  is  a  well-established  fact  that  all  goods 
can  be  made  as  well,  and  cheaper,  on  the  large  scale  ,•  that  the  large  manufacturers  have 
already  obtained  such  a  hold  on  the  trade  of  the  country  that  we  should  turn  our 
attention  more  to  regulate  their  practices,  by  buying  goods  only  of  those  men  who 
have  proved  themselves  honest,  paying  them  a  fair  price  rather  than  to  condemn  all 
these  goods  by  the  wholesale.  The  objection  of  insolubility  was  acknowledged  by 
all  to  be  a  serious  one  against  the  use  of  coated  pills,  more  especially  old  sugar- 
coated  pills. 
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