'562  Minutes  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting.  {Am-^1]\^im ■ 
The  minutes  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  for  July,  August  and  September  were 
read,  and  on  motion,  approved. 
On  motion  of  Mr.  Boring,  seconded  by  Mr.  Webb,  it  was  resolved  that  the 
subject  of  changing  the  time  of  holding  the  lectures  of  the  College,  from 
evenings  to  afternoons,  be  referred  to  the  Board  of  Trustees- for  consideration. 
The  terms  of  the  following  Trustees,  Edward  C.  Jones,  William  E.  Krewson, 
and  Dr.  Cbas.  A.  Weidemanu,  expiring  with  this  date,  it  was  made  necessary 
to  go  into  an  election,  the  following  names  being  placed  in  nomination .  Dr. 
C.  A.  Weidemann,  William  E.  Krewson,  Edward  C.  Jones  and  James  Buckman. 
Tellers  being  appointed,  and  a  vote  cast,  it  was  announced  that  Edward  C. 
Jones,  Dr.  C.  A.  Weidemann  andWm.  E.  Krewson  had  received  the  highest 
number  of  votes,  and  the}-  were  thereupon  declared  elected. 
Charles  Bullock,  Wallace  Procter  and  Gustavus  Pile  were  elected  members 
of  the  Committee  on  Deceased  Members. 
A  copy  of  the  Hand-Book  of  Industrial  and  Organic  Chemistry,  by  Professor 
Saml.  P.  Sadtler,  was  presented  to  the  College  by  the  author,  as  a  donation  to 
the  Library,  and  directed  to  be  received  with  a  vote  of  thanks. 
Meeting  hereupon  adjourned. 
William  B.  Thompson,  Secretary. 
MINUTES  OF  THE  PHARMACEUTICAL  MEETING. 
Philadelphia,  October  20,  1891. 
The  first  of  the  present  series  of  pharmaceutical  meetings  was  held  this 
day.  Dr.  A.  W.  Miller  was  asked  to  preside  ;  in  the  absence  of  Mr.  Wiegand 
J.  W.  England  acted  as  Secretary. 
The  minutes  of  the  last  meeting  were  read,  and  no  corrections  being  required 
they  were  approved  as  read.  • 
Mr.  G.  M.  Beringer  presented  on  behalf  of  Mr.  C.  Bullock  some  very  fine 
crystals  of  chrome  alum.  Mr.  England  donated  some  molybdenum-glanz  or 
bisulphide  of  molybdenum  ;  alsD  some  very  fine  samples  of  cinchona  barks  of 
various  kinds  ;  to  some  of  them  the  results  of  alkaloidal  assays  were  affixed. 
Professor  Trimble  read  a  paper  upon  an  Indian  food  plant,  the  material  having 
been  furnished  by  Dr.  Havard,  Surgeon  U.  S.  A.;  the  root  was  particulars- 
rich  in  cane  sugar,  containing  nearly  ten  per  cent.  Prof.  Maisch  suggested 
that  the  root  might  possibly  be  suitable  for  obtaining  sugar  on  a  large  scale  if 
not  too  much  contaminated  with  coloring  matter,  and  if  the  plant  could  be 
readily  cultivated  ;  the  roots  of  some  umbelliferse,  like  the  carrot,  had  become 
quite  saccharine  under  cultivation.  Prof.  Trimble  also  described  some  seeds 
of  Parshia  tridentata,  which  are  intensely  bitter,  the  bitter  principle  being 
not  a  glucoside.  Professor  Maisch  likened  the  intensity  of  the  bitter  taste  to 
that  of  strychnine. 
Dr.  Miller  said  the  effect  of  cultivation  of  Carum  Gairdneri  would  probably 
result  in  the  enlarged  growth  of  the  tuberous  roots  and  make  it  desirable  as  a 
food  product  ;  the  result  of  such  cultivation  is  well  illustrated  in  what  is  now 
commonly  known  as  the  Irish  potato,  that  in  its  wild  state  was  a  very  inferior 
substance  in  a  food  point  of  view. 
Mr.  Beringer  said  that  this  plant  had  been  classified  in  two  genera  before  it 
was  placed  among  the  Carums  ;  and  the  species  found  in  Central  California, 
C.  Kelloggii,  Gray,  was  likewise  used  as  a  source  of  food  by  the  Indians. 
