3 1 8  Editorial. 
Poggiale,  according  to  which  10  or  20  grams  of  the  subnitrate  are  dissolved  in  boil- 
ing hydrochloric  acid,  and  the  solution  evaporated  nearly  to  syrupy  consistence  j  a 
little  more  acid  is  added  to  render  the  residue  fluid,  and  then  several  drops  of  sul- 
phuric acid  and  30  or  40  cc.  of  alcohol.  If  not  sufficiently  concentrated,  the  liquid 
may  become  turbid  from  the  partial  decomposition  of  the  bismuth  chloride,  and 
must  be  rendered  clear  by  a  little  hydrochloric  acid.  After  standing  for  a  day,  the 
precipitate  is  collected  upon  a  small  filter,  washed  with  alcohol  acidulated  with 
hydrochloric  acid,  afterwards  with  alcohol  and  dried.  The  filter  is  first  incinerated, 
then  the  precipitate  is  added,  moistened  with  sulphuric  acid,  heated  to  redness  and 
the  remaining  sulphate  of  lead  weighed.  In  this  way  he  obtained  from  seven  sam- 
ples sulphate  of  lead  corresponding  to  between  -on  and  -098  metallic  lead. 
Mr.  Petit  presented  a  specimen  of  the  alkaloid  from  Duboisia  myoporoides,  and 
described  its  properties  (see  "Am.  Jour.  Pilar.,'1  May,  p.  267).  Mr.  Lefort  sug- 
gested that  the  dichroism  of  the  alkaloid  might  be  due  to  some  impurity.  Mr.  Petit 
will  continue  his  investigation. 
A  note  by  Mr.  Burcker  was  read,  describing  a  carbonate  of  uranium  and  ammon- 
ium, and  a  method  for  separating  the  oxides  of  iron  and  uranium. 
The  observations  of  Mr.  Duhomme,  that  the  presence  of  creatin  and  creatinin 
accounted  for  the  anomalous  behavior  of  saccharine  urine  to  Fehling's  solution, 
created  some  discussion,  and  led  to  the  appointment  of  a  committee  charged  with 
investigating  this  subject. 
EDITORIAL  DEPARTMENT. 
The  "Homes  "of  Pharmaceutical  Colleges. — It  is  well  nigh  on  to  fifty  years 
when  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy  determined  to  secure  a  permanent 
home  and  erected  a  building  on  Zane  (now  Filbert)  street,  which  is  still  standing, 
but  was  sold  ten  years  ago,  when  the  present  larger  and  more  commodious  hall  was 
erected.  Half  a  century  ago,  pharmaceutical  education  in  the  United  States  was  in 
its  infancy,  and  it  may  well  have  been  regarded  as  a  hazardous  undertaking  on  the 
part  of  the  College  to  incur  a  debt  which  must  have  weighed  heavily  upon  the  then 
young  institution,  and  for  the  discharge  of  which  there  was  then  but  a  slim  prospect. 
We  well  remember  the  satisfaction  of  every  member  present  on  the  occasion,  when 
one  of  the  most  faithful  officers  of  the  College  reported  the  result  of  a  life-long 
service  that  the  institution  was  free  from  debt,  and  thus,  freed  from  a  burden,  was 
enabled  to  look  around  for  more  comfortable  quarters,  the  necessity  for  which  had 
gradually  become  more  apparent 
About  a  year  ago  the  Maryland  College  of  Pharmacy  procured  a  suitable  build- 
ing, and  a  few  months  ago  we  had  the  pleasure  of  chronicling  the  purchase  of  a 
building  by  the  New  York  College  of  Pharmacy,  which  had  been  seriously  crippled 
by  a  long  law-suit  with  one  of  its  early  members,  which,  however,  was  ultimately 
decided  in  its  favor.  And  in  the  present  issue  we  are  pleased  to  record  the  fact  that 
one  of  the  youngest — the  Louisville  College  of  Pharmacy — has  followed  suit,  and 
secured  for  itself  a  permanent  "home  !'" 
(  Am  Jour.  Pharm. 
\       June,  1878. 
