'§miS[\t^!m'}  Minutes  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting.  253 
of  the  leaves  in  infusion  only  caused  slight  salivation  and  diaphoresis. 
More  recent  experiments  have  been  still  less  fruitful.  In  a  case  of 
acute  albuminous  nephritis  its  effects  were  absolutely  nil ;  whilst,  in 
the  same  patient  on  the  following  day,  an  infusion  of  4  grams  of  Pilo- 
carpus jaborandi  in  200  grams  of  water  caused  abundant  salivation  and 
sweating,  and  an  increased  excretion  of  urine. 
From  these  negative  facts  Prof.  Gubler  draws  the  following  con- 
clusions : 
(1)  That  there  exists  a  striking  difference  between  the  mode  of 
action  of  Pilocarpus  pennatifolius  and  of  Piper  citrifolium.  With  an  in- 
significant topical  action  the  Pilocarpus  manifests  a  diffused  action  of 
great  energy  ;  the  second,  though  very  aggressive  to  the  organs  at  the 
entrance  to  the  prima;  via,  appears  to  be  nearly  inert  when  it  once 
enters  the  circulation. 
(2)  That  this  inertia  of  the  Piper  is  more  apparent  than  real,  and 
due  to  the  insufficiency  of  the  doses  employed.  In  future  it  will  be 
desirable  to  administer  larger  doses  of  the  leaves,  or  better  still,  of  the 
root,  to  obtain  physiological  effects. 
Bat  if  the  alkaloid  discovered  by  M.  Hardy  is  a  certain  test  of  the 
efficacy  of  the  Piper  citrifolium,  the  experiments  of  M.  Bochefontaine 
show  that  it  will  be  advisable  not  to  seek  to  obtain  the  first  manifesta- 
tions through  the  secretions,  as  the  new  agent  is  a  poison  of  the  motor 
system  closely  allied  to  curare. — Phar.  four,  and  Trans.,  March  jo. 
MINUTES  OF  THE  PHARMACEUTICAL  MEETING. 
The  College  met  April  17,  at  4  p.  m.  Mr.  A.  P.  Brown  was  called  to  the  chair, 
and  E.  D.  Boyer  appointed  regristrar  pro  tern.  On  motion  of  Prof.  Maisch  the 
reading  of  the  last  minutes  was  dispensed  with. 
Mr.  Ch.  L.  Mitchell  exhibited  a  mineral  water  from  New  Zealand,  and  the  annual 
report  of  the  Auckland  Institute.  Prof.  Maisch  presented  the  annual  report  from 
the  Smithsonian  Institution  of  the  Board  of  Regents  of  that  Institution,  for  the  year 
1875  5  from  Dr.  Weddell,  a  reprint  from  Comptes  rendus  of  his  essay,  in  which  he 
advocates  the  use  of  cinchonidia  in  place  of  quinia  in  the  treatment  of  intermittent 
fevers.  Also,  from  Chas.  W.  Riley,  Consul  of  the  Orange  Free  State,  a  handsome 
case  from  the  Centennial  Exposition,  containing  a  specimen  of  the  so-called  cream 
of  tartar  fruit,  together  with  a  number  of  seeds  and  the  separated  acidulous  pulp  5 
also,  from  the  same  gentleman,  specimens  of  Japanese  chemicals  and  medicinal 
plants,  likewise  from  the  late  exhibition,  and  comprising  oxide  and  sulphate  of  zinc, 
