6oo 
Pharmaceutical  Meeting. 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pharra. 
\   December,  1894. 
obtained  in  a  few  minutes,  while  counting  with  a  microscope  occupies  some 
two  hours  of  most  tiresome,  nerve-wearing  labor. 
A  vote  of  thanks  to  Dr.  Daland  was  given  unanimously  for  the  interesting 
description  of  the  instrument  and  its  methods  of  use. 
Mr.  Wm.  B.  Thompson,  secretar}'  of  the  College,  presented  volumes  of  the 
Pennsylvania  State  Board  of  Health  Reports,  which  he  had  received  from 
Dr.  Benj.  Lea,  secretary  of  that  body. 
Mr.  England  presented  on  behalf  of  Mr.  Bullock,  president  of  the  College,  a 
specimen  of  saigou  cinnamon  of  very  fine  quality,  also  leaves  and  fruit  of  the 
Sophora  Speciosa,  a  plant  growing  in  Texas,  the  alkaloid  of  which  was  exam- 
ined by  Dr.  H.  C.  Wood,  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  some  years  since. 
Mr.  Thompson  read  a  few  notes  on  subjects  of  great  interest  to  pharmacists, 
especially  that  of  the  use  of  acetic  acid  in  the  preparation  of  fluid  extracts, 
advocating  the  systematic  study  of  this  menstruum  for  exhausting  many  drugs 
that  are  now  only  treated  with  alcoholic  menstrua,  pointing  out  the  advantage 
which  would  accrue  to  the  trade  at  large  should  such  experiments  prove  that  the 
advantage  anticipated  could  be  obtained.  Its  solvent'  power  is  very  much 
greater  in  some  cases  than  that  of  alcohol,  but  it  would  be  premature,  from  any 
experiments  yet  made,  to  conclude  its  universal  adoption  advisable.  Prof. 
Remington  stated  that  a  number  of  experiments  had  been  made  by  Dr.  Squibb 
on  a  variety  of  substances — particularly  nux  vomica — and  a  number  of  spices 
and  flavoring  materials,  with  very  good  results,  so  also  with  some  of  the 
alkaloidal  drugs  (cinchona  excepted  especially).  It  also  promises  favorable 
results  for  solid  extracts,  as  the  acid  would  be  entirely  dissipated  in  the  concen- 
tration. Before  such  extracts  can  supplant  the  present  solid  extracts  close  study 
and  careful  experimentation  will  be  required. 
A  short  summary  of  the  Chemical  remedies,  which  have  been  lately  vaunted 
so  freely,  was  given. 
Fiesh  extracts  also  were  reviewed,  showing  the  tendency  of  such  methods 
and  their  uselessness,  while  a  more  rational  employment  for  the  truly  educated 
pharmacist  was  pointed  out  in  the  study  of  plant  foods  or  soil  anal}Tsis  as  being 
of  incalculable  value  to  the  agriculturist,  who  would  intelligently  direct  his 
labors  in  enriching  the  soils  and  gaining  plenteous  harvests  to  reward  his  toils. 
The  question  of  the  value  of  those  preparations  of  cod- liver  oil  which  con- 
tain no  oil  was  brought  up,  and  the  expression  of  those  best  informed  was  that 
cod  liver  oil  was  in  no  sense  a  medicine,  but  a  food  readily  assimilated  by  many 
whose  digestive  apparatus  was  unable  to  assimilate  any  other  fat  oils  ;  the 
theories  of  the  chemical  constituents  of  cod-liver  oil  being  extracted  and  given 
in  condensed  forms  has  been  long  relinquished. 
The  use  of  pure  olive  oil  was  noted  as  being  useful  in  the  same  way,  and  one 
of  the  physicians  of  the  Philadelphia  Hospital  gives  with  advantage  an  emul- 
sion of  olive  oil  and  eggs  to  infants  suffering  with  marasmus. 
Attention  was  called  to  the  Observation  Sheets  which  had  been  proposed  by 
Professor  Patch,  of  Boston,  intended  to  be  used  by  the  pharmacist  or  manu- 
facturer in  noting  difficulties  experienced  in  the  routine  of  his  business  and  the 
ways  adopted  for  remedying  the  same. 
The  character  of  cinnamon  and  cassia  was  commented  on,  one  stating  that 
the  only  cinnamon  he  could  use  was  Ceylon,  as  it  had  a  fine  flavor,  while  most 
of  that  offered  as  cassia  was  like  so  much  inert  matter. 
