302 
Pharmaceutical  Meeting. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharni. 
June,  1899. 
being  '  doctored  '  by  adding  a  few  drops  of  the  solution  of  the  particular  stain 
which  seems  to  be  lacking.    This  has  also  been  our  experience. 
"  In  making  the  saturated  aqueous  solutions  of  the  three  stains,  we  use  rather 
warm  water  for  the  acid  fuchsin  and  methylene  green,  but  water  at  ordinary 
temperature  for  the  orange  G. 
"The  stains  are  thoroughly  rubbed  up  in  a  mortar  with  the  wTater,  thenpoured 
into  test-tubes  and  allowed  to  stand,  so  that  the  excess  of  compound  used  may 
precipitate. 
"  The  formula  we  now  use  is  the  one  last  recommended  by  Ehrlich. 
"  It  is  as  follows  : 
Cubic  Centimeters. 
Sat'd  Aq.  Sol.  Orange  G   13  to  14 
"     "     "    Ac.  Fuchsin  ,   6  to  7 
Distilled  water   15 
Alcohol   15 
Sat'd  Aq.  Sol.  Methylene 'Green    12-5 
Alcohol   10 
Glycerin   10 
"  These  are  mixed  together  in  a  beaker,  and  when  the  methylene  green  is 
added,  it  must  be  added  very  slowly,  and  thoroughly  stirred. 
"  The  mixture  improves  after  standing  for  a  number  of  days. 
' '  Specimens  properly  heated  give  a  nice  orange  or  buff  color  with  this  mixture, 
and  the  leucocytes  and  their  granules  are  well  differentiated." 
An  interesting  paper  on  the  question  :  "What  is  Pharmacognosy  ?"  was  read 
by  Prof.  Henry  Kraemer.  After  having  made  some  general  observations  in 
regard  to  the  relations  of  the  various  divisions  of  scientific  investigation,  the 
author  said  that  the  various  sub-departments  of  science  cannot  be  determined 
with  exactness  once  and  for  all,  but  that  they  must  be  evolved  as  experience 
and  study  add  to  our  knowledge  of  the  different  branches. 
He  then  showed  how  the  science  of  Pharmacognosy  (the  term  being  derived 
from  two  Greek  words,  meaning  drug  knowledge),  has  been  evolved,  quoting 
the  most  eminent  authorities  on  the  subject  as  to  its  meaning  and  application. 
The  subjective  and  objective  relations  of  pharmacognosy  were  then  considered 
and  the  point  emphasized  that  while  the  methods  to  be  pursued  in  this  study 
are  strictly  scientific,  the  object  to  be  attained  may  be  of  practical  importance. 
He  said  that  this  is  the  part  of  the  subject  which  seems  not  to  be  well  under- 
stood by  teachers  and  investigators.  He  therefore  divided  the  subject  into  a 
pure  scientific  pharmacognosy  and  a  practical  pharmacognosy.  The  latter  he 
defined  as  the  art  of  making  money  out  of  drug  knowledge,  and  to  illustrate 
this  he  considered  some  of  the  problems  with  which  practical  pharmacognosy 
has  to  do.  (1)  It  is  concerned  in  developing  that  kind  of  work  which  will 
enable  the  pharmacist  to  devote  his  time  and  ability  to  the  consideration  of 
drugs  rather  than  to  matters  not  in  the  line  of  his  art ;  (2)  it  is  concerned  in 
the  selection  of  drugs  ;  (3)  experiments  relating  to  the  cultivation  and  collec- 
tion of  medicinal  plants  come  within  its  province;  and  (4)  it  is  concerned 
with  the  origin  and  habitat  of  drugs. 
The  last  paper  presented  was  on  "Some  New  Preparations  of  Calendula," 
and  was  read  by  Geo.  M.  Beringer  (see  page  268). 
