BRITISH  PHARMACEUTICAL  CONFERENCE. 
507 
officinal  in  the  British  Pharmacopoeia.  An  animated  discussion 
on  the  question  took  place,  which  resulted  in  the  appointment 
of  a  committee  to  memorialize  the  Council  of  the  Pharmaceuti- 
cal Society  for  the  purpose  of  endeavoring  to  bring  about  more 
satisfactory  relations  between  chemists  and  druggists  and  the 
Board  of  Excise. 
The  next  paper  was  read  by  Daniel  Hanbury,  F.  R.  S.,  of 
London,  "On  Burgundy  Pitch."  The  author  of  this  paper 
stated  the  difficulty  there  existed  in  finding  a  genuine  article  of 
Burgundy  pitch  in  the  market.  The  artificial  that  was  usually 
met  with,  was  produced  by  the  admixture  of  some  fatty  body 
with  resin,  and  working  it  with  water,  which  gave  it  the  required 
appearance.  Mr.  Hanbury  gave  the  following  as  a  test :  Gen- 
uine Burgundy  pitch  dissolves  in  glacial  acetic  acid,  forming  a 
perfect  solution.    This  is  not  the  case  with  the  artificial  article. 
A  paper  "On  Jalap,"  by  Mr.  A.  Southall,  accompanied  by 
sixteen  specimens  of  commercial  jalap  root.  These  had  been 
analysed  by  the  author,  showing  their  relative  value  in  propor- 
tion of  pure  resin  of  jalap,  compared  wich  the  market  prices. 
In  the  discussion  which  arose  on  this  topic  it  was  stated  that 
there  was  a  remarkable  resemblance  between  Tampico  jalap  and 
aconite  root.  A  case  was  mentioned  where  a  parcel  of  aconite 
root  was  mistaken  for  that  of  jalap.  It  was  powdered  and  ad- 
ministered, producing  fatal  results. 
A  paper  by  Mr.  Gr.  Dymond,  "  On  a  True  Citrate  Magnesia," 
was  read  by  the  Secretary.  The  writer  contended  that  it  was 
morally  wrong  to  sell  a  preparation  purporting  to  be  citrate  of 
magnesia  while  they  were  well  aware  that  there  was  very  little 
of  that  ingredient  in  the  preparation. 
A  paper  on  the  employment  of  nitric  acid  sp.  gr.  1*5  in  Phar- 
macy, and  another  on  the  nitro-hydrochloric  acid  of  the  British 
Pharmacopoeia,  by  Mr.  W.  E.  Heathfield,  were  read  by  the  Sec- 
retary. 
The  meeting  then  adjourned  till  Wednesday,  at  10.30  A.  M. 
Wednesday.    Second  Days  Proceedings.     Third  Session. 
The  Conference  resumed  its  sittings  at  10.30  A.  M  ,  Prof. 
Bentley  presiding.    The  following  papers  were  read  :   <!On  a 
