104 
Pharmaceutical  Meeting. 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pharm 
I    February,  1899. 
result  was  that  about  50  per  cent,  of  the  air-dried  material  is  soluble  in  water. 
The  crystalline  principle  was  subjected  to  ultimate  analysis,  and  its  identity 
with  coumarin,  as  was  pointed  out  by  Professor  Procter  in  1859,  proved  thereby. 
Dr.  C.  B.  Lowe  spoke  of  the  distribution  of  this  principle  in  the  vegetable 
kingdom,  and  said  that  it  was  probably  present  in  Tonka  bean  in  greater 
amount  than  elsewhere.  In  regard  to  its  physiological  action  he  said  that  it 
was  probably  narcotic. 
Others  taking  part  in  the  discussion  of  this  paper  were  Professor  Peacock 
and  Mr.  Frederick  Lewton,  the  latter  referring  to  the  immense  trade  in  deer's 
tongue  (as  the  plant  is  commonly  called)  in  Florida,  where  it  is  sold  to  tobacco 
manufacturers  for  flavoring  their  products. 
Prof.  F.  G.  Ryan  read  a  paper  on  "Analysis  of  Commercial  Vinegar"  (see 
page  71),  which  aroused  considerable  discussion,  partly  on  account  of  its  rela- 
tion to  the  question  of  pure  foods.  Those  remarking  on  the  subject  of  the 
paper  were  Mr.  Haussmann,  the  chairman,  Professor  Peacock  and  Mr.  Kebler. 
In  reply  to  a  query  by  Mr.  Haussmann  as  to  the  presence  of  malic  and  tar- 
taric acids  interfering  with  the  determination  of  the  percentage  of  acetic  acid 
in  certain  vinegars,  Professor  Ryan  said  that  these  acids  were  present  in  too 
small  quantities  to  be  taken  into  account.  He  said,  however,  that  tests  were 
made  for  the  presence  of  sulphuric  and  some  other  acids. 
Mr.  Bullock  made  an  interesting  statement  in  regard  to  cider  vinegar.  He 
said  that  when  cider  had  undergone  fermentation  a  certain  degree  of  acidity 
was  attained,  which  on  further  oxidation  was  lost,  but  which  as  the  process 
was  continued  again  resumed  its  acidity. 
"  A  Common  Error  in  Recorded  Results  of  Proximate  Plant  Analysis,"  was 
the  subject  of  a  communication  by  Lyman  F.  Kebler,  and  will  be  published  in 
a  later  number  of  this  Journal. 
The  last  item  on  the  programme  was  an  exhibition  of  a  valuable  collection 
of  specimens  recently  received  from  the  Philadelphia  Museums,  through  the 
instrumentality  of  Mr.  Howard  B.  French.  The  collection  consists  of  nearly 
three  hundred  specimens,  and  attention  was  directed  to  the  most  interesting 
features  by  Mr.  Frederick  L.  Lewton,  Curator  of  the  Museums. 
The  collection  embraces  the  following  : 
Specimens  of  crude  drugs  from  many  parts  of  the  world,  particularly  show- 
ing such  as  are  used  by  the  natives  of  Japan  and  China,  and  as  are  sold  in  the 
Indian  bazaars  ;  seeds  and  fruits  yielding  oils  used  for  medicinal,  culinary, 
illuminating,  lubricating  and  other  purposes  ;  samples  of  gums  and  resins 
having  a  medicinal  use  and  many  of  the  most  important  varnish  resins  ;  spices 
and  aromatics  used  for  flavoring  foods  and  medicines,  as  well  as  for  the  making 
of  perfumes  ;  roots,  tubers,  starches  and  other  food  materials  and  series  of  raw 
sugars,  cacao,  beans,  etc. 
A  special  vote  of  thanks  was  tendered  Mr.  Lewton  for  his  interesting  talk, 
after  which  Professor  Remington  referred  to  the  magnitude  of  the  work  of  the 
Museums,  in  various  lines.  Further  reference  was  made  to  the  influence  of  the 
Museums  along  commercial  and  scientific  lines,  and  its  connection  with  the 
Commercial  Exposition  next  fall. 
On  motion  the  meeting  adjourned. 
Thos.  S.  Wiegand, 
Registrar. 
