540  Minutes  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting.  {k\l™X™?u- 
The  first  meeting  of  the  present  session  was  held  October  20th,  1874.  J.  T 
Shinn  in  the  chair.    W.  Mclntyre  was  elected  Kegistrar,  E.  C.  Jones  acting 
as  teller.    Prof.  Maisch  presented,  on  behalf  of  P.  J.  Hazzard,  to  the  library, 
a  work  entitled  "  Materia  Medica  of  Hindoostan,  by  W.  Ainslie,  M.  D." 
The  Cabinet  was  the  recipient  of  the  following  :  From  Betanelly  &  Co.. 
Horasan  and  Djabonsilk  cocoons  from  Southeast  Caucasus  ;  these  cocoons  are 
used  to  a  considerable  extent  in  France  in  the  manufacture  of  silk.  The  same 
firm  also  presented  whole  flowers  and  the  pure  powder  of  Pyrethrum  roseum 
or  Caucasian  (Persian)  Insect  Powder.  James  T.  Shinn  presented  a  handsome 
sample  of  assafcetida  in  tears. 
Professor  Bridges  presented,  in  the  name  of  Mr.  A.  Yarnal,  some  masses 
of  sublimed  bicarbouate  of  ammonia,  which  had  been  found  in  a  barrel  of  the 
commercial  carbonate  lately  purchased.  This  is  an  accidental  product,  rarely 
occurring  in  commerce.  It  was  first  noticed  by  Phillips,  (Annals  of  Philos- 
ophy, xvii,  110),  Henry  (the  chemist)  having  given  it  to  him  as  an  abortive 
result  in  a  preparation  intended  for  smelling  salts.  Phillips,  on  analysis,  found 
it  to  be  anhydrous  bicarbonate,  having  the  composition,  as  then  expressed,  of 
NH3  2HO.  2CO2  the  ammonium  hydrogen  carbonate  of  the  new  chemistry, 
NH4  H.CO3  .  This  salt  resembles  the  commercial  carbonate  in  appearance,  is 
hard,  translucent  and  crystalline.  When  in  a  close  bottle  for  some  time  a 
decided  odor  of  ammonia  is  perceived  when  the  bottle  is  opened,  probably  from 
the  presence  of  some  sesqui-carbonate.  This  soon  disappears,  and,  after 
exposure,  becomes  imperceptible.  It  has  a  pungent  saline  taste,  but  none  of 
the  sharp  biting  of  the  sesqui-carbonate.  Exposed  to  the  air  it  does  not  alter, 
but  probably  evaporates  slowly  ;  like  all  the  alkaline  bicarbonates,  it  holds,  in  the 
presence  of  water,  part  of  its  carbonic  acid  with  a  weak  affinity.  It  dissolves, 
at  55°  F.,  in  six  parts  of  water,  and  when  a  mass  is  placed  in  water  minute 
bubbles  soon  form  on  the  surface  as  solution  takes  place  ;  these  increase  in 
number  and  size  as  the  temperature  rises,  and  become  very  copious  at  150°  F. 
The  gas  given  off*  precipitates  lime  water  freely.  This  solution  of  lime  with 
an  excess  of  the  lime,  when  raised  to  the  boiling  point,  does  not  affect  moist 
turmeric  paper  placed  in  the  mouth  of  the  flask  in  which  it  is  heated,  showing 
that  the  gas  is  nearly  all  carbonic  acid.  The  solution  of  the  ammonia  salt  has 
also  acquired  a  strong  odor.  This  ready  elimination  of  carbonic  acid  explains 
why  solution  of  ammonia  cannot  be  fully  saturated  with  carbonic  acid  at 
ordinary  temperatures.  This  salt,  of  course,  is  not  proper  for  use  as  a 
stimulant,  but,  like  the  effloresced  sesqui-carbonate  may  be  used  for  other 
purposes  for  which  the  salt  is  adapted. 
A.W.  Miller  exhibited  oils  of  peppermint  and  lemon,  adulterated  to  a  very  large 
degree  with  alcohol  and  castor  oil,  and  oil  of  wintergreen,  adulterated  with 
alcohol.  He  also  read  a  paper  on  adulterated  beeswax,  and  exhibited  samples 
of  pure  wax  and  paraffin,  and  of  mixtures  of  the  two,  in  different  proportions. 
Dr.  Miller  also  read  a  paper  containing  observations  on  the  Franklin  Institute 
Exhibition.    Both  papers  were  referred  to  the  Publication  Committee.* 
*  See  pages  510  and  533  of  this  number. 
