124  Minutes  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting.        { AmFeJb°u  l'ss?" 
MINUTES  OF  THE  PHARMACEUTICAL  MEETING. 
Philadelphia,  January  15,  1884. 
In  the  absence  of  the  President,  Dr.  A.  W.  Miller  was  called  to  the  chair. 
The  minutes  of  the  last  meeting  were  read  and  approved. 
Professor  Maisch  presented  to  the  cabinet  two  samples  of  Cotton  seeds, 
sent  by  Mr.  Hiland  Flowers,  of  Louisiana ;  the  varieties  are  known  as 
golden  prolific,  and  silk  cotton.  Also  a  specimen  of  the  bark  of  Eucalyptus 
globulus,  which  was  sent  to  him  some  time  ago  by  Mr.  J.  J.  Brown,  of 
California  ;  the  specimen  is  very  interesting,  as  there  is  evidently  a  disease 
which  causes  a  secretion  of  kino-like  substance.  Likewise  a  root  called 
Cinnamon  root,  which  is  used  in  Europe  for  the  purpose  of  adulterating 
powdered  cinnamon ;  the  root  has  a  flavor  of  cinnamon  and  cloves.  This 
called  out  a  statement  from  the  Chairman  that  Clove  stems,  when  reduced 
to  powder,  are  used  to  mix  with  powdered  cloves,  and  that  in  our  neigh- 
boring city  of  Camden  there  was  a  factory  for  roasting  and  grinding  cocoa- 
nut  shells,  which  material  is  used  for  adulterating  spices,  and  as  it  sells  at 
2}  cents  per  pound,  it  enables  the  fraudulent  operator  to  dilute  the  spices 
with  large  profits. 
Mr.  J.  W.  England  read  a  paper  upon  " Medicated  Waters /"  the  reading 
of  the  paper  brought  out  a  discussion  upon  the  varieties  of  oil  of  neroli,  and 
it  was  said  that  while  oil  of  petit  grain  is  sometimes  used,  the  true  oil  of 
neroli  was  obtained  from  the  flowers,  the  best  being  known  as  p&tale 
bigarade,  and  obtained  from  the  flowers  of  the  bitter  orange,  while  that 
designated  as  portugal  is  made  from  the  flowers  of  sweet  orange,  and  is  less 
fragrant. 
Mr.  H.  C.  C.  Maisch  read  a  short  and  interesting  paper  upon  the  "  Stear- 
opten  of  Oil  of  Patchouly." 
Upon  motion  of  Mr.  Pile,  the  papers  read  were  referred  to  the  Publication 
Committee. 
Professor  Maisch  read  for  Mr.  G.  W.  Kennedy,  a  paper  upon  "  Oil  of 
Sweet  Birch.'"  The  paper  was  particularly  interesting,  as  it  was  accompa- 
nied with  specimens  of  all  the  products  of  the  different  stages  of  the  process. 
Mr.  Gustavus  Pile  read  a  paper  upon  the  "Percentage  and  Specific  Gravity 
of  Alcohol.''1 
Professor  Maisch  expressed  his  gratification  at  the  labor  which  Mr.  Pile 
had  taken  in  the  preparation  of  the  tables  submitted  with  his  paper  ;  it  was, 
on  motion  of  Mr.  Newbold,  referred  to  the  Publication  Committee. 
Mr.  H.  C.  C  Maisch  read  a  paper  upon  the  "Action  of  Ammonium  Chlo- 
ride upon  Lead  Iodide.1'1  The  reaction  was  exhibited  in  the  presence  of 
the  meeting,  and  it  showed  the  error  of  the  Pharmacopoeia  in  stating  that  a 
colorless  solution  instead  of  a  white  magma  would  be  the  result.  It  was 
moved  by  Mr.  England  that  the  paper  read  be  referred  to  the  Publication 
Committee. 
Dr.  Miller  read  a  paper  from  Prof.  J.  T.  Rothrock  giving  some  observa- 
tions made  with  the  microscope  by  students  in  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, under  the  direction  of  Prof.  Rothrock.  The  paper  was  accompanied 
by  drawings,  and  will  be  published  in  the  next  number  of  the  Journal. 
