200 
Minute  of  College  Meeting. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharin. 
April,  1893. 
increase  of  total  free  acidity.  Five  per  cent,  of  glycerin  tended  to 
diminish  the  loss  of  ethyl  nitrite,  and  retarded  the  formation  of 
aldehyde  and  free  acids,  while  the  addition  of  10  per  cent,  prevented, 
in  great  measure,  the  loss  of  ethyl  nitrite,  retarded  the  formation  of 
acetic  acid  and  total  acidity,  and  reduced  the  percentage  of  aldehyde 
and  nitrous  acid  as  temperature  increased.  The  effect  of  light  was 
to  cause  loss  of  ethyl  nitrite,  and  increase  of  nitrous  acid,  free 
acetic  acid,  and  total  acidity.  The  addition  of  glycerin  had  results 
similar  to  those  attending  its  use  in  temperature  tests.  On  the 
whole,  the  writer  stated,  the  addition  of  glycerin  at  least  in  a  pro- 
portion of  10  per  cent,  by  volume  is  favorable  to  the  keeping  of  the 
spirit  without  entailing  much  trouble.  The  solution  of  pure  ethyl 
nitrite  in  absolute  alcohol,  although  not  liable  to  alteration,  does 
not  seem  to  have  come  into  general  use — possibly  on  account  of  the 
price,  or,  as  suggested  by  Professor  Leech,  on  account  of  the  large 
proportion  of  alcohol  it  contained,  which  might  be  undesirable  in  some 
cases.  On  the  other  hand,  the  addition  of  glycerin  to  sweet  spirit  of 
nitre,  while  tending  to  preserve  it,  would  not  alter  its  characteristic 
taste  or  smell  to  any  appreciable  extent,  and,  if  adopted,  it  might 
obviate  the  necessity  of  introducing  the  more  expensive  solution  of 
ethyl  nitrite  in  glycerin  and  the  absolute  alcohol.  Experiments  had 
also  been  made  to  show  the  effect  of  stoppering,  and  the  results  of 
badly-fitting  stoppers  were  loss  of  ethyl  nitrite,  loss  of  aldehyde, 
increase  of  free  nitrous  acid,  and  decrease  of  acetic  acid  and  total 
acidity. 
MINUTE  OF  COLLEGE  MEETING. 
Philadki/phia,  March  27,  1893. 
The  annual  meeting  of  members  of  the  College  was  held  this  day  in  the 
museum  of  the  new  building,  Charles  Bullock  presided.  Mr.  Bullock,  in  call- 
ing the  meeting  to  business,  referred  in  appropriate  words  to  the  fact  that  this 
was  the  first  assemblage  of  members  for  this  purpose  held  in  this  room  ;  that 
the  occasion  was  suggestive  of  reflection  and  thought,  and  marked  an  important 
era  in  the  growth  and  extension  of  this  institution — the  conspicuous  repre- 
sentative in  our  country  of  similar  institutions  ;  that  the  College  had  now 
advanced  in  all  its  appointments  to  an  entitled  position  and  rank,  and  that  a 
consciousness  of  this  should  awaken  new  zeal  and  interest  in  maintaining  its 
deserved  prominence  and  usefulness.  The  minute  of  the  previous  meeting 
was  read  and  by  resolution  adopted.  The  minutes  of  the  meetings  of  the 
Board  of  Trustees  for  January,  February  and  March  were  presented,  and  on 
motion  approved.    This  occasion  being  that  of  the  annual  meeting  the  follow- 
