526  British  Pharmaceutical  Conference,  {Am'0{Z'J7h7Arm'' 
Mr.  Kingzett  next  read  a  paper  on  "Scammony  Root,"  by  Mr.  Farries  and  him- 
self, in  which  it  was  shown  that  the  roots  of  Convolvulus  scammonia  contain  no 
alkaloid,  although  it  has  been  asserted  by  Marquart  that  an  alkaloid  does  exist  in 
the  root.  Resin  of  scammony  yields  glucose  on  decomposition  with  dilute  sulphuric 
acid  and  by  various  other  processes  given  in  the  paper,  an  analysis  of  barium  gluci- 
nate  being  brought  forward  in  support.  Mention  was  also  made  of  the  volatile  oil 
produced  below  900  C.  by  dry  distillation  of  the  resin  ;  its  examination  is  not  com- 
pleted. 
In  a  "  Further  Note  on  the  History,  of  Tea  Hair,"  Mr.  T.  Greenish  showed  that 
the  hair  contains  no  thein  and  gave  a  general  description  of  their  occurrence  and 
properties. 
Mr.  L.  Siebold's  paper  on  "  Copaiba  Testing"  showed  that  beyond  fatty  oils,  such 
as  linseed,  turpentine  oil  was  the  only  other  probable  adulterant.  He  also  pointed 
out  that  the  methods  of  testing  still  given  in  many  books  are  valueless.  He  had 
found  that  Dr.  Muter's  process  for  testing  copaiba  also  was  unreliable,  while  the 
simple  process  of  evaporating  to  dryness  was  sufficient  to  yield  indications  of  purity 
or  impurity,  according  to  the  stickiness  or  dry  nature  of  the  product.  Turpentine 
could  be  easily  detected  when  present,  in  the  first  portions  obtained  on  the  distilla- 
tion of  copaiba  oil,  and  recognized  by  its  lower  boiling  point  and  odor. 
Mr.  Moss  stated  in  the  discussion  that  as  regards  Fliickiger's  test  for  the  purity 
of  copaiba  oil,  he  had  never  experienced  any  difficulty  in  the  use  of  it.  Mr.  W.W. 
Urwick's  "new  medicinal  solution  of  phosphorus"  consists  of  a  preparation  in 
which  egg  albumen  is  employed,  and  Dr.  Redwood  pointed  out  that  he  had  already 
given  a  formula  in  which  that  substance  was  used  for  the  purpose  stated. 
Mr.  Kingzett's  paper  on  "Blood  Albumen"  contained  a  detailed  account  of  the 
process  patented  by  Mr.  Zingler  and  himself  for  bleaching  and  preserving  blood 
albumen,  and  the  various  uses  of  the  product.  The  process  consists  in  passing  a 
current  of  air  through  albumen  solution  admixed  with  a  certain  small  percentage  of 
turpentine,  and  maintained  at  about  400  C.  The  oil  oxidizes,  forming  peroxide  of 
hydrogen,  which  effects  the  bleaching,  while  the  camphoric  acid  and  other  sub- 
stances simultaneously  produced  preserve  the  solutions  of  albumen  almost  perma- 
nently from  any  putrescible  or  other  change. 
In  his  next  paper  on  "  Pilocarpine  "  Mr.  Kingzett  gave  the  analysis  of  a  platinum  salt 
made  from  a  sample  of  the  nitrate  given  to  him  by  Professor  Attfield,  which  proved 
the  identity  of  the  alkaloid  with  that  to  which  he  had  previously  assigned  the  for- 
mula C23H34N404.  On  distillation  of  the  salt  C23H34N404,  2HCI,  PtCl4  to  dryness 
with  strong  caustic  soda  solution,  trimethylamine  appears  to  be  produced. 
The  last  paper  read  was  by  Mr.  Willmott  on  the  "  Effects  of  Variations  of  Tem- 
perature on  Boiled  Putrescible  Liquids." 
It  was  then  determined  to  hold  the  next  annual  meeting  of  the  Conference  at 
Dublin,  and  after  the  usual  business  matters  had  been  concluded,  including  the 
appointment  of  a  new  President  in  the  person  of  Mr.  G.  Schacht,  the  Conference 
dissolved. 
On  Thursday,  notwithstanding  a  smart  shower  just  before  the  time  fixed  for 
embarkation,  a  considerable  number  of  ladies  and  gentlemen  accepted  the  invita- 
tion of  the  Local  Committee  to  join  in  an  excursion  up  the  River  Tamar.  The 
