630  Minutes  of  the  Fharmaceuticul  Meeting 
VARIETIES. 
Strophantin  was  isolated  by  Hardy  and  Gallois,  from  the  seeds  of  a 
species  of  Strophantus,  an  apocynaceous  woody  climber,  used  in  preparing 
the  arrow-poison  ine.  The  principle  forms  colorless  neutral  crystals,  is. 
soluble  in  alcohol  and  water,  and  was  ascertained  to  be  a  heart  poison. 
Experiments  made  with  it  in  Edinburgh,  show  it  to  be  physiologically- 
allied  to  digitalin  ;  it  has  been  used  hypodermically  in  doses  of      to  grainv 
Estimation  of  Quinine  in  Mixtures  of  Quinine-Alkaloids.  By 
Y.  Shimoyama. — The  method  described  is  founded  on  the  relative  solubili-^ 
ties  of  the  oxalates  of  the  quinine  alkaloids  :  Quinine  oxalate  dissolves  in 
1,446  jDarts  of  water  at  18°  ;  cinchonidine  oxalate  in  228  parts  at  15°;  quini- 
dine  oxalate  in  151  parts  at  15°,  and  cinchonine  oxalate  in  104  parts  at  10°. 
The  in-ecipitation  is  effected  by  adding  sodium  oxalate  to  a  dilute  neutral 
solution  of  the  alkaloids,  and  correction  must  be  made  for  the  amount  of 
quinine  oxalate  remaining  in  solution. -  J^owr.  C/iem.  >S'oc.,  Aug.,  1885,  p. 
935  ;  Arch.  Pharw.  [3],  [23],  209-229. 
MINUTES  OF  THE  PHARMACEUTICAL  MEETING.. 
Philadelphia,  November  17,  1885. 
On  motion  of  Prof.  Trimble,  Mr.  Wni.  B.  Thomj^son  was  called  to  the- 
chair. 
The  minutes  of  the  last  meeting  were  read,  and,  there  being  no  objec- 
tion, they  stand  approved. 
The  Report  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution  for  1883  was  presented  to  the- 
meeting,  it  having  been  received  in  the  recess  of  the  summer  season,  and 
not  brought  to  the  notice  of  the  last  meeting ;  it  was  accepted  with  thanks. 
The  Actuary  read  a  paper  upon  pill  excipienfs,  and  reactions  which  had 
been  noticed  in  certain  chemicals  frequently  prescribed  in  pillular  form. 
The  reading  of  the  paper  gave  rise  to  an  interesting  discussion,  in  which 
Prof  Maiscli,  Mr.  Lowe,  Prof.  Trimble,  Mr.  Thompson  and  the  writer  took 
part. 
Mr.  Thompson  stated  that  a  valuable  lesson  was  to  be  drawn  from  the 
paper  and  the  discussion,  which  was  that  pills  should  not  be  made  with 
any  excipieut  which  merely  suited  the  convenience  of  the  dispenser,  or 
served  the  purpose  of  causing  the  material  to  cohere  into  a  mass  that  could 
be  readily  disj^ensed,  but  that  each  and  every  case  must  be  decided  by 
enlightened,  thoughtful  judgment;  further,  that  it  was  a  consideration 
what  became  of  the  immense  quantities  of  wholesale-made  goods  that  were 
annually  disposed  of  in  commerce. 
Prof  Maisch  stated  that  many  years  ago  he  had  tried  to  find  a  suitable 
excipient  for  calomel  pills,  to  be  kejjt  in  stock,  and  his  experience  was  then? 
that  it  was  best  to  make  enough  pills  only  for  a  few  days'  supply. 
The  use  of  extract  of  gentian  was  also  discussed  in  its  connection  with 
the  preparation  of  pills,  and  its  promiscuous  use  objected  to,  both  for  chem- 
ical and  therapeutical  reasons.  The  paper  was  referred  to  the  Publication, 
Committee, 
/  Am.  Jour.  Pharm., 
\       Dec,  1885. 
