520  British  Pharmaceutical  Conference.  {'^"'■ocr'isss"™" 
Incidentally  to  the  latter  subject  he  pointed  out  the  improbability  of  the 
suggestion  made  by  Hager  that  apomorphine  might  be  formed  by  l^eeping 
for  a  long  time  a  solution  of  morphine  hydrochlorate. 
The  next  paper,  by  Mr.  Maben,  on  "  Santolina  Chamsecyparissus,''' 
referred  to  the  use  of  this  herb  as  an  anthelmintic  and  gave  an  analysis, 
which  did  not,  however,  throw  any  light  upon  its  supposed  therapeutic- 
efficacy,  which  in  the  course  of  discussion  was  referred  by  Mr.  MacEwani 
to  theological  influences. 
In  a  paper  by  Mr.  Moss  on  "Natural  Camphor  Oil,"  describing  his- 
attempts  to  obtain  a  further  elucidation  of  the  nature  of  Japan  camphor 
oil,  the  chief  feature  was  that  he  did  not  accept  the  conclusion  arrived  at  by 
Mr.  MacEwan  (see  "  Amer.  Jour.  Phar.,"  1885,  p.  406).  Some  results  were 
given  which  tended  to  show  the  necessity  of  a  more  thorough  investigation 
of  the  subject.  Tht;  discussion  which  followed  pointed  in  the  same 
direction. 
"Sublimated  Serum  and  Sublimated  Albumen"  was  the  somewhat  per- 
verted title  of  a  paper  read  by  Mr.  Jones,  of  Coventry,  describing  liis  ex])e- 
riences  in  the  preparation  of  surgical  dressings  according  to  the  Uiethod 
suggested  by  Sir  Joseph  Lister.  This  form  of  surgical  dressing  does  not 
appear  to  have  been  so  successful  in  practice  as  might  have  been  anticipated^ 
and  according  to  a  statement  by  Mr.  Martindale  it  has  been  abandoned  by 
Sir  Joseph,  who  is  now  endeavoring  to  obtain  another  means  of  neutral- 
izing the  iiction  of  corrosive  sublimate  as  a  local  irritant  without  affecting 
its  antiseptic  qualities.  In  the  consequent  discussion  it  was  suggested  by 
the  President  that  the  use  of  albumen  copiously  as  an  antidote  in  cases  of 
poisoning  by  corrosive  sublimate  might  be  inconsistent  with  the  fact  that 
the  coagulated  compound  of  albumen  with  corrosive  sublimate  is  soluble 
in  excess  of  albumen.  This  suggestion,  however,  indicated  a  disregard  of 
the  direction  that  the  stomach  pump  should  be  used  immediately  after 
the  administration  of  the  antidote.  Another  paper  by  the  same  author 
described  his  microscopic  observations  in  reference  to  a  case  of  cattle  poison- 
ing with  (Enanthc  croeata. 
Some  notes  on  "Sulphate  of  Quinine,"  by  Mr.  R.  H.  Davies,  described 
the  endeavors  he  had  made  to  satisfy  himself  as  to  the  means  by  which 
pure  sulphate  of  quinine  was  to  be  obtained,  and  as  to  the  characters  that 
such  a  salt  would  possess.  It  appeared  that  by  recrystallization  of  com- 
mercial sulphate  of  quinine  from  water,  Mr.  Davies  failed  to  obtain  a  pure 
salt  in  less  than  five  operations.  But  as  the  character  of  the  material  ope- 
rated upon  was  unknown,  or  not  stated,  no  conclusion  of  any  value  can  be- 
drawn  from  that  experience.  Mr.  Davies'  subsequent  endeavors  to  ascer- 
tain by  the  optical  method  the  nature  of  the  recrystallization  products  did 
not  furniyh  him  with  satisfactory  results,  but  induced  him  to  conclude  lhat 
the  datum  given  l)y  Dr.  Hesse  as  to  the  specific  rotation  of  pure  sulphate- 
of  quinine  was  incorrect,  and  that  it  was  probable  that  what  Dr.  Hesse  has 
regarded  as  nearly  pure  sulphate  of  quinine  really  contains  about  four  or 
five  per  cent,  of  cinchonidine  sulphate,  as  stated  by  De  Vrij,  Koppeschaar^ 
and  others.  In  the  absence  of  any  decisive  evidence  in  contradiction  of 
facts  that  have  long  been  accepted  as  well  established  there  was  of  course? 
