Am.  Jour.  Pharm. ) 
April,  1896.  / 
Pharmaceutical  Meeting. 
223 
MINUTES  OF  THE  PHARMACEUTICAL  MEETING. 
Philadelphia,  March  17,  1896. 
The  sixth  regular  Pharmaceutical  Meeting  was  held  in  the  Museum  of  the 
College  at  3  o'clock. 
Mr.  E.  M.  Boring  presided,  and  the  minutes  of  the  previous  meeting  were 
allowed  to  stand. 
The  first  paper,  entitled  "A  Proximate  Analysis  of  Polygala  Senega,"  was 
read  by  Mr.  J.  Henry  Schroeder  (see  page  178). 
Professor  Trimble  remarked  upon  the  proportion  of  albuminoid  matter, 
stating  that  20  per  cent,  is  rather  a  large  amount  to  find  in  roots,  and  that  it  is 
probably  stored  as  reserve  material.  Professor  Lowe  also  thought  this  to  be 
the  case,  as  the  drug  contains  neither  starch  nor  inulin. 
Mr.  Lyman  F.  Kebler  read  the  next  paper,  which  was  entitled  "Laboratory 
Notes  "  (see  page  193),  and  under  this  head  he  included  results  of  experiments 
with  oil  of  cassia,  elm  bark,  ipecac  root,  potassium  iodide,  reduced  iron  and 
saffron.  These  experiments  were  mostly  for  the  purpose  of  detecting  impuri- 
ties and  adulterations. 
Mr.  Kebler  found  that  benzin  extracted  the  coloring  matter  from  air-dry 
saffron,  which  contains  about  14  per  cent,  of  moisture,  more  readily  than  it  did 
from  the  drug  previously  deprived  of  moisture. 
Professor  Trimble  did  not  think  that  the  amount  of  moisture  in  the  air-dry 
drug  would  interfere  with  the  action  of  the  benzin,  and  that  the  failure  to 
dissolve  the  coloring  matter  in  the  latter  instance  was  probably  due  to  a  change 
caused  during  the  process  of  drying. 
Mr.  Wallace  Procter  spoke  of  a  spongy  gray  iron  which  was  formerly  much 
used,  and  which  was  quite  pure  in  most  respects,  except  a  slight  contamination 
of  sulphide. 
Prof.  Remington  said  that  this  product  was  formerly  manufactured  by  Messrs. 
L.  Martin  &  Co.,  of  New  York,  and  that  the  presence  of  a  small  percentage  of 
sulphide  was  owing  to  insufficient  washing  of  the  ferrous  carbonate  used  in  its 
manufacture.  The  sulphide  was  changed  into  hydrogen  sulphide  when 
brought  into  contact  with  the  liquids  of  the  stomach,  causing  unpleasant  eruc- 
tations. 
Prof.  Remington  also  referred  to  the  difficulties  into  which  the  Ohio  Food  and 
Dairy  Commissioners  have  gotten  in  the  stand  they  have  taken  in  regard  to  the 
pharmacopceial  requirements  or  to  the  construction  which  they  have  put  upcn 
the  food  laws  of  the  State.  He  said  the  important  question  to  be  considered 
was  the  kind  and  amount  of  impurity,  and  whether  it  would  interfere  with  the 
physiological  action  of  the  drug  containing  it,  and  mentioned  in  this  connec- 
tion the  needless  high  standard  of  the  tests  for  the  alkaloidal  salts  of  cinchona, 
the  unnecessary  expense  incurred  in  removing  the  last  1  or  2  per  cent,  of  mois- 
ture from  ether,  and  the  presence  of  potassium  carbonate  in  potassium  iodide, 
which  is  an  advantage  rather  than  an  objection. 
Prof.  Lowe  then  read  a  paper  entitled  "Botanical  Notes"  (see  page  191). 
His  paper  was  accompanied  by  specimens  of  Japan  and  Indian  aconite  roots, 
stems  of  Magnolia,  roots  of  Apocynum  androssemifolium  and  Apocynum 
Cannabinum  and  a  dried  specimen  of  Anthemis  nobilis. 
Miss  Bertha  L.  DeGraffe  read  an  interesting  paper  on  "  Opuntia  Vulgaris  " 
