38  Pa,  State  Pharmaceutical  Association.  {AjanJu°a^;  ^In- 
scribes the  method  of  obtaining  the  venom,  its  preservation,  chemis- 
try, and  action.  It  is  given  hypodermatically  and  its  action  is  to 
increase  the  time  of  the  coagulation  of  the  blood. 
The  Detection  of  Cane  Sugar  in  Honey. 
By  Charles  LaWall,  Ph.M. 
The  author  concludes  that  it  is  impossible  to  detect  added  cane 
sugar  in  honey  by  means  of  a  qualitative  test ;  being  present  normally 
in  small  amounts  its  quanitative  determination  is  preferably  accom- 
plished by  means  of  the  polariscope.  Invert  sugar  is  the  kind 
usually  added  and  dan  be  easily  detected  in  honey  that  has  never 
been  heated. 
Oregon  and  Canada  Balsam  of  Fir. 
By  J.  G.  Roberts  and  M.  M.  Becker. 
The  writers  state  that  because  of  the  scarcity  of  Canada  Balsam 
of  Fir  for  the  last  year  or  two  a  suitable  substitute  is  desirable. 
And  as  a  substitute  Oregon  Balsam  of  Fir  is  offered  to  the  trade. 
As  is  well  known  this  product  closely  resembles  Canada  Balsam  of 
Fir. 
Finding  that  the  literature  on  Oregon  Balsam  contained  little 
information  the  authors  obtained  some  balsam  from  a  known  source 
and  endeavored  to  obtain  data  as  to  tests  for  identity  and  purity. 
It  differed  in  the  main  from  Canada  Balsam  in  viscosity,  solu- 
bility in  alcohol,  and  in  response  to  the  magnesium  oxide  test.  The 
Oregon  Balsam  is  thinner;  it  is  completely  soluble  in  alcohol  in 
contradistinction  to  the  official  balsam  which  yields  a  turbid  solu- 
tion. Canada  Balsam  when  mixed  with  20  per  cent,  of  its  weight 
of  magnesium  oxide  previously  moistened  with  water,  becomes 
solid.  The  Oregon  does  not  solidify  even  when  mixed  with  60  per 
cent,  of  its  weight  of  magnesium  oxide.  It  was  also  noticed  that 
the  Oregon  Balsam  does  not  dry  as  readily  as  the  Canada  Balsam, 
a  quality  which  renders  it  inferior  to  the  latter  for  microscopical 
work. 
Socotrine  Aloes. 
By  C.  J.  Denneby. 
The  author  remarks  that  although  the  United  States  Pharma- 
copoeia definition  of  aloes  is  broad  enough  to  allow  recognition  of 
all  varieties  of  genuine  aloes  yet  it  neglects  to  describe  some  samples 
