50 
Minutes  of  the  College. 
j  \m.  Jour.  Phaim. 
1       Jan.,  1885. 
Professor  Redwood  referred  to  his  investigations  made  in  1860,  wlien 
in  examining  a  gray  powder,  which  from  its  effects  was  supposed  to 
contain  arsenic  or  antimony,  numerous  samples  were  found  to  be  free 
from  these  impurities,  but  to  contain  variable  amounts  of  the  oxides  of 
mercury.  In  his  analysis  then  made  he  discarded  acetic  acid  and 
treated  mercurial  preparations  first  with  hydrochloric  acid  and  sub- 
sequently with  hydrocyanic  acid.  He  had  frequently  observed  mer- 
cury with  chalk  to  be  contaminated  with  the  two  oxides  of  mercury, 
but  not  blue  pill,  except  to  a  small  extent.  Mercury  and  chalk  pre- 
pared by  simple  trituration  in  a  mortar  is,  and  has  long  been  held  to  be, 
a  valuable  and  perfectly  safe  preparation.  But  on  putting  the  in- 
gredients with  several  large  pebbles  into  a  cask,  which  is  fastened  up 
and  turned  by  a  steam-engine,  the  mercury  is  subjected  to  conditions 
in  which  oxidation  takes  place  to  a  great  extent;  working  under  stone 
runners  it  would  not  be  subject  to  the  same  oxidizing  action.  In 
blue  pill  oxidation  may  take  place  whilst  the  mechanical  trituration  is 
being  effected  ;  but  that  portion  of  the  mercury  which  is  in  the  metallic 
state  incorporated  with  the  conserve  of  roses,  cannot  undergo  a  continu- 
ous process  of  oxidation. 
Mr.  Schacht  urged  upon  pharmacists  to  make  hydrargyrum  cum 
creta  themselves,  its  oxidation  being  doubtless  entirely  a  question  of 
age.  Mr.  Gerrard  coincided  with  this  recommendation  and  extended 
it  to  other  mercurial  preparations  which  should  be  made  at  periods  of 
about  three  or  six  months,  so  as  to  insure  having  them  in  a  fresh  con- 
dition, free  from  the  injurious  oxides. 
MINUTES  OF  THE  COLLEGE. 
Philadelphia,  December  29,  1884. 
A  stated  meeting  of  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy  was  held  this 
day  at  the  hall  of  the  College,  No.  145  N.  Tenth  street. 
In  the  absence  of  the  President  William  B.  Webb  was  called  to  the  chair. 
Fourteen  members  were  present  and  signed  the  register. 
The  minutes  of  the  last  meeting  were  read  and  on  motion  adopted. 
The  minutes  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  for  October,  November  and 
December  were  read  by  the  Secretary  of  the  College,  and  on  motion 
approved. 
These  minutes  contained  the  report  to  the  Board  of  the  Committee  of 
Instruction,  relative  to  the  subject  of  preliminary  examination  of  students 
in  the  English  branches  before  entering  the  Junior  Class. 
Upon  this  subject  considerable  discussion  took  place,  and  Messrs.  Blair 
