November, hS'}  History  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meetings.  607 
The  members  were  invited  to  propose  queries  upon  subjects  in 
which  they  felt  interested,  which  queries  might  be  answered  at  once 
or  referred  to  a  future  meeting. 
Dr.  Bridges,  at  this  meeting  (November,  1870),  described  the 
process  of  etching  on  glass  by  means  of  the  sand  blast,  and  thought 
it  would  likely  supersede  much  of  the  engraving  upon  glass.  He 
also  explained  the  discovery  and  the  principle  of  the  spectroscope 
and  the  wonderful  revelations  thus  far  made  by  it,  and  the  prospect 
that  is  opened  up  for  discoveries  even  more  wonderful  than  those 
yet  made  known.  An  exhibition  of  the  instrument  was  then  given 
by  Prof.  Bridges,  assisted  by  Mr.  Bullock. 
At  the  December  meeting,  Dr.  Pile  explained  and  illustrated 
rules  for  changing  the  strength  of  strong  alcohol  to  proof  spirit,  to 
reduce  alcohol  to  any  required  strength,  or  to  make  any  required 
quantity  of  any  of  the  above-mentioned  liquids. 
Dr.  Pile  also  called  attention  to  a  prescription,  the  use  of  which 
had  resulted  fatally.    The  prescription  is  as  follows: 
R    Strychnise  Murias,  gr.  iss. 
Syrupi  Ferri  Iodidi,  f  3  vi. 
Syrupi  Zingiberis,  q.  s.  ft.  fjiii. 
Misce.    Sig. — Teaspoonful  three  times  a  day. 
The  Doctor  stated  that  he  had  compounded  the  prescription, 
carefully  dissolving  the  muriate  of  strychnia,  and  had  kept  it  sev- 
eral months,  without  sign  of  precipitation.  He  thought  that  if  the 
alkaloid  was  added  without  being  dissolved,  the  last  dose  would 
contain  nearly  all  the  strychnia,  and  hence  the  fatal  results. 
An  examination  of  the  subjects  reported  to  the  different  meetings 
shows  that  over  500  different  papers  have  been  reported  on,  and  many 
of  these  were  of  the  greatest  advantage  to  a  large  number  of  those 
who  were  listeners  at  these  meetings.  This  should  be  a  strong  in- 
centive to  every  attendant  to  bring  up  for  discussion  any  subject 
that  may  interest  or  even  perplex  him  in  the  daily  round  of  shop 
work. 
Iodide  of  Starch  in  Surgery. — Majewski  (  Wiener  med.  Presse,  1896,  No.  19; 
Centralblatt  fur  Chirurgie,  August  1,  1896)  recommends  iodide  of  starch  as 
an  excellent  application  in  suppurating  and  neglected  wounds,  phlegmons, 
panaritia  and  venereal  sores.  A  mixture  of  1  part  of  tincture  of  iodine  and  2 
parts  of  starch,  he  says,  exceeds  iodoform  in  antiseptic  action  and  in  control- 
ling suppuration.  It  is  exceedingly  hygroscopic,  almost  odorless  and  very 
agreeable. — New  York  Medical  fournal. 
