136  Minutes  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting.  {Am'JarU."'i?7h7a.rm' 
E.  Gaillard  read  an  interesting  paper  on  a  new  and  convenient  method  of  detect- 
ing arsenic  by  the  use  of  an  amalgam  of  sodium.  (See  page  126.)  His  remarks 
were  illustrated  by  the  practical  application  of  the  test  to  liquids  to  which  arsenious 
anhydrid  and  tartar  emetic  had  been  added.  In  connection  with  this  subject,  Prof. 
Maisch  stated  that  solutions  of  nitrate  of  silver  are  not  affected  by  light,  in  support 
of  which  assertion  he  exhibited  a  solution  made  by  himself  eight  years  ago,  which 
was  still  perfectly  clear.  He  explained  that  the  decomposition  of  the  argentic  salt, 
when  it  does  occur,  is  due  to  the  presence  of  organic  matter.  James  T.  Shinn 
inquired  as  to  whether  with  the  frequent  introduction  of  camel  hair  pencils,  sponges 
or  the  like,  reduction  would  not  proceed  more  rapidly  in  the  light  than  in  the  dark. 
Prof.  Maisch  replied  that  reduction  would  take  place  in  either  case,  but  possibly 
under  these  circumstances  somewhat  more  tardily  in  the  dark  than  in  the  light. 
James  T.  Shinn  presented  a  cake  of  Joseph  L,  Lemberger's  pure  beeswax, 
moulded  in  such  a  manner  as  to  be  readily  broken  into  squares  each  weighing  one 
ounce.  E.  M.  Boring  rose  to  state  that  he  was  an  advocate  of  home  manufactures; 
he  had  tried  Lemberger's  process  of  hot  filtration  through  paper,  but  had  not  suc- 
ceeded well  with  it  ;  he  had,  however,  found  simple  straining  through  muslin  to 
furnish  a  satisfactory  article,  provided  proper  care  was  exercised  in  selecting  the 
crude  beeswax.  James  T.  Shinn,  on  the  contrary,  expressed  satisfaction  in  being 
relieved  by  one  so  reliable  as  Joseph  L.  Lemberger  of  the  tedious,  disagreeable  and 
dirty  labor  of  refining  beeswax  so  as  to  fit  it  for  use  in  pharmacy. 
A.  W.  Miller  presented  a  specimen  of  so-called  berry  wax,  the  product  of  Myrica 
cordijolia,  from  Cape  Town,  Africa.  The  wax  is  of  a  dull  greenish  color,  closely 
resembling  in  its  general  appearance  the  myrtle  wax  of  this  country. 
Prof.  Maisch  read  a  note  on  the  detection  of  castor  oil  in  copaiba,  and  illustrated 
the  subject  by  several  experiments.  R.  V.  Mattison  stated  that  he  had  also  tried 
the  petroleum  tests  for  copaiba,  but  had  become  quite  confused  by  them.  Prof. 
Maisch  said  that  so  far  aqua  ammonias  was  still  the  best  test  ;  he  attributed  the 
perplexing  variation  in  the  behavior  of  the  copaiba  to  its  production  from  different 
botanical  sources 
In  accordance  with  the  instructions  of  the  last  pharmaceutical  meeting,  A.  W. 
Miller  had  expressed  the  thanks  of  the  College  for  the  valuable  donations  made  by 
the  late  Prof.  Carson.  He  read  the  following  communication,  which  he  had  received 
iryeply : 
January  25TH,  1877. 
My  dear  Sir — Permit  me  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  favor  of  yesterday,  conveying  the  thanks 
of  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy  for  the  presentation  through  Professor  Remington.  The  inter- 
ests of  the  College  were  always  near  my  father's  heart,  and  I  am  personally  much  gratified  at  the  dispo- 
sition made. 
Very  sincerely  yours,  Hampton  L.  Carson. 
R.  V.  Mattison  read  a  paper  on  adulterations  of  drugs  and  chemicals  (page  129), 
making  serious  charges  against  some  of  the  wholesale  dealers.  As  the  statement 
had  been  made  that  adulterations  were  far  more  common  in  our  country  than  else- 
•where,  Prof.  Maisch  explained  that  adulterated  articles  were  found  everywhere,  and  not 
onlv  in  America  5  that,  for  instance,  resin  of  jalap  which  had  never  seen  jalap  was 
frequently  offered  in  Europe.  He  maintained  that  we  here  had,  in  fact,  one  advantage 
over  Europe,  in  so  far  that  with  us  everything  is  at  once  published  far  and  wide,  while 
