*m'j™Zm™m'}Mimites  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting.  305 
"  The  Assay  of  Ferric  Hypophosphite"  by  Frank  X.  Moerk,  supplemented 
some  work  previously  published. 
In  reference  to  the  question,  "What  should  be  dispensed  when  naphthol, 
simply,  is  prescribed  ?  the  answer  was  given  Beta-naphthol.  The  statement 
was  made  that  Hydro-naphthol  has  been  published  to  be  only  an  impure 
naphthol,  the  solubility  and  melting  points  of  the  two  agreeing  ;  a  controversy  on 
this  identity  had  been  carried  on  in  several  New  York  journals  a  few  years  ago. 
The  question  as  to  the  displacement  of  natural  by  synthetic  carbolic  acid  was 
answered  by  the  announcement  that  as  the  synthetic  acid  had  no  superior 
medicinal  action  over  the  natural  acid  and  as  they  both  reddened  upon 
exposure,  and  in  addition  the  synthetic  was  much  more  expensive,  it  was  very 
little,  if  at  all,  used  at  present.  The  preparation  of  synthetic  carbolic  acid 
was  referred  to  Mr.  Beringer. 
A  paper  on  "Geranium  maculatum"  by  Prof.  H.  Trimble  and  J.  C.  Peacock, 
Ph.G.,  was  read  by  the  former  ;  in  answer  to  a  query  by  Prof.  Maisch  as  to  the 
percentage  of  tannin  in  the  drug  after  drying,  Prof.  Trimble  stated  that  such  a 
determination  had  not  been  made  in  this  work,  but,  judging  from  the  results 
of  H.  J.  Meyers,  Ph.G.,  who  examined  the  air-dried  roots  and  found  only  about 
one  per  cent,  gallic  acid,  there  could  be  but  little  difference  due  to  decomposi- 
tion in  drying  the  roots. 
An  Improved  Compressed  Tablet  Machine  was  described  by  F.  W.  Jordan, 
Ph.G.,  of  Tacony,  Phila.,  and  also  shown  in  working  order. 
In  answer  to  the  inquiry  regarding  the  composition  of  the  commercial  acid 
sulphate  of  quinine,  Mr.  Frank  H.  Rosengarten  replied  by  letter  that  two 
definite  sulphates— the  neutral  and  the  acid — are  known  ;  whether  the  com- 
mercial acid  sulphate  is  a  pure  definite  chemical  compound  is  a  hard  question 
to  answer,  as  the  determination  of  the  purity  of  quinine  sulphates  is  a  difficult 
problem,  few  chemists  agreeing  on  the  results. 
All  of  the  papers  were  referred  for  publication. 
The  following  report  of  the  Committee  having  in  charge  the  Pharmaceutical 
Meetings,  was  read  : 
To  the  members  of  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy  : 
GenTi^mEn  : — Your  committee,  appointed  at  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting  in 
December,  in  whose  charge  the  remaining  meetings  of  the  present  series  were 
placed  would  respectfully  submit  the  following  report : 
When  the  meeting,  in  December  last,  was  held,  there  was  but  a  slim  attend- 
ance, and  not  a  single  paper  was  presented,  the  meeting  resulting  in  but  a 
desultory  discussion  of  a  few  topics  suggested  by  the  members  present.  This 
was  but  a  logical  result  of  the  "go-as-you-please"  method  with  no  one  in 
charge,  with  which  these  meetings  had  been  conducted.  It  was  suggested 
that  an  attempt  should  be  made  to  popularize  these  meetings ;  to  have  a 
programme  outlined  in  advance  and  to  make  them  a  source  of  valuable  informa- 
tion both  of  practical  experiences  and  of  scientific  knowledge. 
With  this  object  in  view  this  committee  was  appointed  and  they  have 
labored  to  attain  the  desired  end. 
A  circular  describing  the  objects  of  and  the  benefits  to  be  derived  from  these 
meetings  was  prepared  and  distributed  with  the  announcement  for  the  meeting 
in  January.    Pharmacists  and  students  were  requested  to  submit,  for  the  con- 
