358       Pennsylvania  Pharmaceutical  Association.  {^m^iS*™' 
LABORATORY  NOTES. 
By  Charles  H.  La  Wall  and  Robert  C.  Pursel. 
This  paper  contains  the  records  of  some  of  the  various  drug  products  exam- 
ined by  the  authors  during  the  year,  and  shows,  in  a  measure,  the  quality  of  the 
goods  upon  the  market.  Mr.  Procter  thought  the  information  presented  by 
Messrs.  La  Wall  and  Pursel  was  very  valuable. 
BISMUTH  SUBGALLATB. 
By  Lyman  F.  Kebler. 
This  paper  is  printed  in  full  in  this  Journal  (see  page  326). 
HOW  FAR  CAN  COLUMBIAN  SPIRITS  REPLACE  ALCOHOL  IN 
MANUFACTURING  BY  PHARMACISTS? 
By  D.  J.  Thomas. 
The  author  considers  the  use  of  Columbian  spirit  limited  in  pharmacy,  and 
thought  that  it  might  be  employed  in  making  tincture  iodine,  tincture  arnica 
and  soap  liniment.  It  is  a  ready  and  rapid  solvent  for  corrosive  sublimate, 
and  may  therefore  be  substituted  in  the  preparation  of  4 '  bed-bug  poison."  It 
may  be  used  in  preparing  embalming  fluids,  burning  in  spirit  lamps,  under 
chafing-dishes,  also  in  the  manufacture  of  the  most  delicate  aniline  colors, 
dissolving  shellac,  gums  and  resins  for  varnishes,  for  cleaning  plate-glass, 
jewelry  and  metals.  Columbian  spirit  is  used  in  the  manufacture  of  oil  of 
wintergreen  synthetically.  It  is  also  employed  in  the  preparation  of  bay  rum, 
Florida  water  and  various  other  toilet  waters. 
In  discussing  this  paper,  Dr.  J.  T.  Rodman,  of  Hawley,  said  that  it  would 
not  do  in  some  sections  to  use  wood  alcohol  to  prepare  tincture  of  arnica, 
because  some  Germans  were  in  the  habit  of  taking  the  tincture  internally. 
Prof.  F.  G.  Ryan  said  that  he  had  come  across  a  full  line  of  fluid  extracts  for 
internal  use  made  with  Columbian  spirits,  or  wood  alcohol.  Professor  Rem- 
ington said  that  one  phase  of  the  subject  not  touched  upon  was  that  the  Phar- 
macopoeia did  not  recognize  the  spirit  named,  or  wood  alcohol,  and  druggists 
that  used  it  were  liable  to  get  into  trouble,  as  the  law  in  some  States  recog- 
nizes the  Pharmacopoeia  as  an  authority.  He  also  referred  to  the  difference 
in  solvent  action  of  methyl  and  ethyl  alcohol,  and  advised  pharmacists  to  go 
slowly  in  using  wood  alcohol  for  making  pharmacopoeial  preparations. 
Among  others  taking  part  in  the  discussion  were  Messrs.  Eppstein,  Boring 
and  Kebler. 
JS  THE  DEMAND  FOR  TABLET  TRITURATES  ON  THE  DECLINE? 
By  D.  J.  Thomas. 
In  1 89;  a  sing"1©  operative  manufactured  25,000  tablet  triturates  daily.  With 
improved  apparatus,  the  daily  output  per  operative  is,  on  an  average,  100,000, 
or  an  increase  of  four  times  as  many.  Iu  1894  the  compressing  machines  then 
in  general  vogae  yielded  a  daily  output  of  about  35,000  tablets  ;  with  new 
rotating  machines  many  times  that  number  can  be  manufactured  by  each 
machine  per  day.  After  years  of  observation,  the  writer  is  of  the  opinion  that 
tablets  have  come  to  stay,  and  advises  the  pharmacist  making  his  store  a  phy- 
sician's supply  depot. 
