*™m^*;m£"m'}Mtnutes  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting.  563 
Fred.  W.  Haussmatm,  Ph.G.,  read  a  paper  upon  Bashaw's  mixture ;  his 
experiments  were  directed  principally  to  obtaining  a  more  permanent  prepara- 
tion. 
Professor  Maisch  said  that  solutions  of  acetate  of  iron  had  been  in  the  Euro- 
pean pharmacopoeias  for  more  than  a  hundred  years,  and  their  tendency  to  spon- 
taneously decompose  was  well  known,  being  influenced  by  the  amount  of  acid, 
by  increase  of  temperature,  by  direct  sunlight  and  by  diffused  daylight ;  hence 
■such  solutions  should  be  kept  in  a  cool  and  dark  place. 
Prof.  Remington  said  that  when  introduced  into  the  pharmacopoeia,  it  was 
well  known  to  be  of  perishable  character,  and  was  expected  to  be  pre- 
pared freshly  when  wanted.  Mr.  A.  B.  Taylor  had  paid  a  great  deal  of  atten- 
tion to  this  preparation,  and  thought  it  was  best  to  prepare  it  frequently,  using 
glycerin  in  place  of  the  syrup.  All  the  evidence  about  the  preparation  seemed 
to  point  to  the  propriety  of  having  the  acid  somewhat  in  excess  and  protect- 
ing the  solution  from  heat  and  light  ;  in  this  way  the  proposed  formula  was, 
perhaps,  quite  as  good  as  any  that  could  be  given  ;  tincture  of  orange  peel  was 
objectionable  in  pro  lucing  a  dark  colored  preparation,  while  simple  syrup  and 
simple  elixir  together  were  a  better  flavoring  agent. 
A  paper  on  a  color  reaction  of  vanillin  was  read  by  F.  X.  Moerk,  Ph.G.,  and 
illustrated  with  tests  showing  the  delicacy  of  the  test.  Professor  Remington 
inquired  if  a  preparation  made  from  vanilla  bean  itself  would  give  these  same 
reactions,  and  whether  the  coumarin  was  a  synthetical  product  or  obtained 
from  some  of  the  natural  sources  in  plants  ;  he  also  asked  if  these  color  reac- 
tions could  detect  vanillin  in  a- fluid  extract  of  vanilla.  Experiments  in  the 
direction  indicated  have  not  been  completed. 
Mr.  Beringer  exhibited  specimens  of  the  smallest  blooming  plant  known, 
Wolffia  Columbiana,  which  is  of  the  size  of  a  pin's  head  ;  it  was  found  in 
Gloucester  County,  N.  J. 
In  answer  to  a  question  what  should  be  dispensed  in  an  ointment  when  Sal 
sedativum  Hombergi  was  ordered,  Prof.  Maisch  said  that  this  was  the  old 
name  for  boric  acid. 
Inquiry  was  made  as  to  the  proper  dose  of  sulpho-carbolate  of  zinc,  and  it 
was  stated  that  it  would  be  proper  to  give  from  one  to  three  grains. 
Mr.  England,  in  reply  to  a  question  as  to  which  of  the  salicylates  of  bismuth 
was  the  better  for  internal  use,  suggested  that  the  acid  salt  was  the  better  in 
typhoid  conditions. 
Mr.  England  alluded  to  the  complaints  sometimes  made  about  blislering 
cerate  failing  to  act  promptly  and  said  it  was  often  due  to  the  faulty  mode  of 
applying  the  plaster  ;  that  he  had  a  small  direction  label  printed,  instructing 
the  attendant  to  wash  the  part  to  which  the  blister  was  to  be  applied  with  soap 
and  warm  water,  wipe  dry,  then  moisten  with  vinegar  and  apply  the  plaster 
without  drying  the  skin.  Mr.  Wiegand  said  he  had  been  in  the  habit  of  send- 
ing a  similar  label  out  with  blisters  some  thirty  years  ago.  Mr.  Procter  was  in 
the  habit  of  strengthening  the  blister  by  brushing  the  surface  of  it  with  a  con- 
centrated ethereal  tincture  of  cantharides. 
Professor  Remington  said  that  some  time  ago  a  friend  of  his  had  occasion  to 
visit  the  island  of  Barbadoes,  and  he  asked  him  to  procure  some  of  juice  of  the 
aloe  plant  as  grown  there  ;  he  exhibited  a  sample  and  state i  that  crystals  were 
readily  observable  in  the  bottom  of  the  bottle  which  were  undoubtedly  Barba- 
