520      Twenty-fifth  Meeting  Amer.  Phar.  Assoc  n.  {^™i^rm 
Dr.  Pile  read  a  paper  on  Dialyzed  Iron,  giving  the  result  of  some  experiments 
and  determining  the  specific  gravity  of  a  5  per  cent,  solution  to  be  I'oiy. 
A  paper  on  Resin  of  Podophyllum,  by  F.  B.  Power,  was  read  by  the  Secretary. 
On  distillation  with  water  a  volatile  fatty  acid,  probably  myristic  acid,  was  obtained. 
No  alkaloid  was  found,  but  some  protocatechuic  acid  which  appears  to  pre-exist  in 
the  rhizome;  the  yellow  coloring  principle  is  altogether  due  to  the  acid  portion  of 
the  resin.  In  commenting  upon  this  valuable  paper,  Mr.  Maisch  stated  that  the 
bright  yellow  resin  of  podophyllum  sometimes  met  with,  is  obtained  by  precipita- 
tion with  alum,  and  contains  an  alumina  compound  5  also,  that  the  mother  liquor  of 
the  precipitated  resin  sometimes — not  always — gives  to  general  tests  indications  of 
the  presence  of  a  little  alkaloid. 
SIXTH  SESSION,  Friday  Forenoon,  September  7. 
The  following  papers  were  read  : 
On  the  use  of  Glycerin  in  Fluid  Extracts. — Mr.  J.  U.  Lloyd  has  found  a  decided 
advantage  in  the  case  of  drugs  containing  much  tannin.  Other  fluid  extracts  are 
mentioned  in  which  glycerin  is  stated  to  be  apparently  not  superior  to  water. 
Observations  leading  to  these  conclusions  were  not  given. 
On  Official  Fluid  Extracts.— Mr.  Lloyd  is  strongly  in  favor  of  cylindrical  per- 
colators, in  which  the  powder  should  occupy  at  least  15  inches  in  height.  A 
change  in  the  menstruum  of  several  fluid  extracts  is  likewise  advocated. 
On  Syrup  of  Iodide  of  Iron,  Mr.  L.  M.  Connor  observed  a  syrup,  the  deep  green 
color  of  which  was  discharged  by  dilute  nitric  acid  ;  he  concluded  that  it  had  been 
colored  with  anilin  green.  Mr.  Maisch  considered  this  insufficient  proof  for  the 
conclusion. 
On  Resin  of  Scammony. — Prof.  Markoe  ascertained  that  washing  with  water 
removes  but  2  per  cent,  of  soluble  matter  5  the  alcoholic  extract  of  scammony 
appears  therefore  to  be  practically  identical  with  the  resin. 
On  Cream  of  Tartar  Supplied  in  Ontario.— Mr.  Saunders  found  several  samples, 
obtained  from  grocers,  to  be  largely  adulterated. 
On  Bonjean's  Ergotin. — Mr  G.  Zellhoefer  recommends  to  evaporate  the  infusion 
of  16  oz.  of  ground  ergot  made  with  cold  distilled  water  to  4  fluidounces,  and  add 
to  this  16  fluidounces  of  alcohol,  specific  gravity  "832;  the  filtrate  evaporated  yields 
1 1 -5  per  cent,  of  ergotin. 
On  the  Bromine  Production  of  the  United  States. — Mr.  H.  S.  Wellcome  gave  a 
brief  history  of  this  enterprise,  and  stated  that  the  capacity  of  the  various  works 
at  present  is  estimated  by  manufacturers  at  3,000  pounds  per  day,  while  the  actual 
production  does  not  exceed  1,000  pounds. 
On  the  Requisite  Knowledge  of  Therapeutics  by  Pharmacists. — Mr.  B.  T. 
Fairchild  argued  that  any  culture  in  therapeutics  or  other  collateral  science  cannot 
fail  to  add  to  the  usefulness  of  the  pharmacist,  and  render  him  by  no  means  more 
prone  to  overstep  the  limits  of  his  duties  than  he  who  has  a  low  estimate  of  the 
requirements  of  pharmacy,  and  is  therefore  not  likely  to  respect  the  province  of 
medicine. 
Mr.  Shinn  exhibited  specimens  of  paraffin  paper  made  in  Philadelphia,  and 
explained  the  uses  to  which  it  may  be  applied. 
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