Caffeine  from  Coffee  Soot. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
May,  1920. 
General  Committee  to  meet  for  at  least  one  day  following  the  con- 
vention, elect  a  chairman,  sub-committees,  and  sub-committee 
chairmen  and  dispose  of  a  few  of  the  more  important  questions  of 
policy  before  adjourning. 
There  should  then  be  arranged  a  personal  conference  for  each 
sub-committee  as  soon  as  they  have  enough  material  before  them  for 
arriving  at  decisions  which  would  probably  be  about  six  months 
after  their  organization.  The  most  important  modification  to  in- 
crease efficiency  and  lessen  the  time  of  revision,  however,  would  be  a 
personal  conference  of  the  Executive  Committee,  at  least  once  in  each 
two  months  during  the  active  work  of  revision.  In  the  interim, 
the  general  chairman  could  place  many  problems  before  the  com- 
mittee, with  discussions,  and  a  program  for  a  conference  at  an 
agreed  time,  when  most  of  the  questions  under  consideration  could 
be  decided  in  a  one-day  meeting.  Full  stenographic  details  of  the 
conferences  should  be  presented  to  each  member  immediately  after 
the  meeting  and  the  decks  being  cleared  by  the  conference,  new 
work  could  be  considered  in  preparation  for  the  next  meeting.  It  is 
believed  that  if  the  Executive  Committee  again  consists  of  the  sub- 
committee chairmen,  that  these  personal  conferences  will  tre- 
mendously stimulate  the  work  of  the  sub -committees,  as  each 
chairman  will  be  expected  to  report  in  full  the  condition  of  his  own 
sub-committee  at  each  of  these  conferences.  This  of  course,  will 
necessitate  a  personal  sacrifice  of  the  time  on  the  part  of  the  members 
of  the  Executive  Committee,  but  it  is  believed  that  this  method  will 
so  greatly  facilitate  the  work  of  revision,  that  it  can  be  concentrated 
into  the  first  year  and  everyone  promptly  relieved  of  the  burden. 
Of  course,  railroad  and  hotel  expenses  of  these  conferences  should  be 
met  by  the  convention. 
CAFFEINE  FROM  COFFEE  SOOT.* 
suggestion  for  reclaiming  a  portion  op  the  constituents  which  are 
voeatieized  in  the  roasting  process. 
By  George  K.  :^we. 
philadelphia,  pa. 
The  soot  which  collects  in  the  flues  and  on  the  upper  inner  sur- 
face of  coffee  roasters  frequently  contains  enough  caffeine  to  warrant 
its  use  as  a  raw  material  for  the  production  of  this  valuable  sub- 
*  From  The  Tea  and  Coffee  Trade  Journal,  March,  1920. 
