AmjiSIrif78arm'}        Hospital  Stewards,  U.  S.  A.  307 
resin  in  a  platinum  capsule  it  is  partly  volatilized,  and  evolves  the  same 
odor  as  is  given  off  by  heated  colophony — partly  it  is  charred,  the  small 
amount  of  charcoal  being  easily  burnt  away. 
The  crystallized  resin  is  not  dissolved  even  by  boiling  caustic  lye, 
nor  does  it  possess  an  acid  reaction  on  litmus  paper;  it  is  in  no  way 
capable  of  yielding  any  compound  with  basic  substances.  Its  saturated 
solution  in  petroleum  spirit  displays  no  rotatory  power  on  polarized 
light. 
It  forms  an  orange  solution  with  concentrated  sulphuric  acid, 
becoming  decolorized  and  turbid  on  addition  of  water.  If  submitted 
to  destructive  distillation  an  acid  oily  liquid  of  a  rather  agreeable  odor 
is  produced.  By  using  potash  the  resin  under  notice  is  not  much 
altered,  nor  by  heating  it  with  anhydride  of  acetic  acid. 
Submitted  to  ultimate  analysis  by  Dr.  Buri,  in  my  laboratory,  the 
resin  in  burning  yielded 
i.       ir.  in. 
0*2476  0*2354  0-2492 
C02  .  .  .  0*7369    0*6996  0*7419 
OH2  ....        °'2535    0*2410  0*2557 
Answering  in  percentages — 
C  81*16  81*05  81*16 
H                    .              .  .         11*38  ii"37  11*40 
O  7-46  7*58  7-40 
The  formula  C28H1602  would  require 
28  C  /  .  336  8i*i6 
46  H  .  .  .         46       1  i'ii 
2  O  .  .  32  7*73 
IOO'OO 
The  crystallographic  character  of  the  resin  has  been  examined  and 
carefully  described  by  Dr.  Bucking,  in  Professor  Groth's  "  Zeitschrift 
fur  Krystallographie,"  Leipzig,  1877,  389.  The  crystals  belong  to 
the  asymmetric  system  and  are  long  prisms. — Phar.  Jour,  and  Trans., 
March  16 
HOSPITAL  STEWARDS,  U.  S.  A. 
Editor  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy : — On  behalf  of  the  Hospital  Stewards, 
U.  S.  A.,  allow  me  to  tender  our  sincere  acknowledgments  for  the  service  you  have 
rendered  in  advocating  our  cause  in  your  valuable  journal.  As  the  subject  of  our 
rank,  duty  and  pay  seems  to  be  little  understood  outside  of  army  circles,  permit  me 
to  make  a  few  remarks  with  the  view  of  rendering  it  more  intelligible. 
First,  our  rank  :    This  is  but  nominal ;  virtually  speaking  we  hold  no  rank  what- 
