AmMi°reh,?89orm- }  Minutes  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting.  15; 
Hinsdale's  method  would  be  of  special  value  in  analyzing  barks  for  tanneries. 
Mr.  Beringer  asked  whether  the  process  had  been  tried  with  other  substances 
containing  tannin  ;  Prof.  Trimble  said  that  it  had  worked  equally  well  with  two 
different  kinds  of  oak  bark,  and  with  catechu  ;  and  that  different  amounts  of 
tannin  had  been  detected  by  it  within  0*5  per  cent,  of  the  actual  quantity 
present. 
Some  discussion  took  place  concerning  parts  by  weight  in  the  Pharmacopoeia  ; 
Prof.  Maisch  stating  that  it  was  not  universally  condemned  in  all  parts  of  the 
country,  some  being  in  favor  of  it. 
Mr.  Boring  stated  that  the  advantage  in  the  system  lay  in  the  check  which 
was  always  at  hand,  everything  being  tared  the  weight  of  the  percolate  could  be 
told  in  an  instant. 
Mr.  Mclntyre  said  that  the  greatest  disadvantage  lay  in  the  fact  that  physi- 
cians did  not  prescribe  in  that  way. 
Prof.  Maisch  stated  that  some  ten  years  ago  he  made  known  some  simple 
rules  to  enable  physicians  to  prescribe  liquids  by  weight,  as  is  done  in  Europe, 
"but  that  most  of  the  physicians  had  done  nothing  towards  introducing  the 
system. 
Mr.  Robert  England  stated  that  the  metric  system  was  unpopular  with  physi- 
cians, and  that  it  seemed  impossible  to  get  them  to  use  it. 
Prof.  Maisch  stated  that  the  reason  for  the  use  of  the  metric  system  in  the 
formulas  of  the  fluid  extracts  of  the  U.  S.  P.  was  on  account  of  tbe  intimate  rela- 
tionship which  existed  between  the  weights  and  measures,  and  that  there  was 
also  a  close  relationship  between  the  weights  and  measures  of  the  British  Phar- 
macopoeia, but  such  was  not  the  case  with  those  of  the  U.  S.  Pharmacopoeia. 
It  was  suggested  by  Mr.  Mclntyre  that  the  next  meeting  be  held  in  Prof. 
Maisch's  lecture-room,  so  as  to  give  the  members  present  an  opportunity  to 
inspect  the  botanical  models  lately  imported  by  him  from  Europe. 
Prof.  Maisch  presented  a  specimen  of  otto  of  rose,  claimed  to  have  been 
smuggled  by  sailors,  and  hawked  about  the  streets  of  New  York  ;  it  consisted 
of  petrolatum  flavored  with  French  oil  of  rose-geranium,  and  was  evidently  a 
fraudulent  imitation  made  in  this  country. 
Mr.  Bullock  presented  to  the  meeting  some  of  the  so-called  ''Trenton  Cojj'ee" 
which  consisted  of  very  good  imitations  of  the  grains  of  coffee,  made  of  clay, 
and  flavored  by  being  dipped  in  an  infusion  of  coffee  ;  also  some  Bismuthic 
acid,  and  some  pentoxide  of  bismuth. 
Mr.  Boring  complained  of  the  alcoholic  strength  of  some  of  the  prepara- 
tions of  the  Pharmacopoeia  as  being  in  his  opinion  too  great,  a  menstruum 
of  less  strength  would  exhaust  the  drug  as  well,  and  would  also  promote  tem: 
perance. 
Mr.  Robbins  stated  that  the.menstruums  as  ordered  were  intended  to  be  the 
best  for  exhausting  the  drugs,  and  that  the  chief  object  of  the  Pharmacopeia 
was  to  secure  uniformity  in  the  composition  of  medicines. 
On  motion  adjourned.  C.  B.  IvOWE, 
.  Secretary  pro  tern. 
Inhalations  of  menthol,  dissolved  in  Tour  parts  of  olive  oil,  were  ob- 
served by  Dr.  Jores  {Memorabilien)  to  give  immediate  relief  in  severe  cases  of 
asthma.    The  patients  inhale  the  atomized  solution  during  the  paroxysm. 
