Atocfober,Pimm"}     British  Pharmaceutical  Conference.  497 
of  the  history,  theory  of  causation,  physical  characters,  origin  of  the 
constituents,  and  also  some  data  on  the  heat  or  temperature  and  the 
reputed  efficacy  of  the  waters  of  these  well-known  thermal  springs. 
In  describing  the  physical  characters  Mr.  Hallett  said  that  the 
quantity  or  quality  of  the  water  never  varies;  the  three  springs  have 
a  daily  yield  of  507,600  gallons  of  water  at  a  constant  temperature 
of  120°  F. 
Compressed  Tablets,  by  Edmund  White,  B.Sc,  F.I.C.,  and  Mr. 
Henry  Rodwell. — This  paper  was  practically  an  elaboration  of  a 
paper  presented  to  the  conference  in  1902,  by  White  and  Robinson 
(A.J.  P.,  1902,  p.  571),  and  involves  the  use  of  oil  of  theobroma  as 
an  excipient  for  granulating  powders. 
The  objections,  of  excessive  bulk,  made  to  the  method  proposed 
last  year,  have  been  overcome  in  a  measure  by  the  use  of  either  of 
the  following  mixtures: 
No.  1,  Theobroma  Emulsion:  Oil  of  theobroma,  25  parts;  hard 
soap,  5  parts;  tragacanth,  0*5  part;  benzoic  acid,  0*25  part;  water, 
to  make  100  parts. 
Dissolve  the  soap  in  25  parts  of  water  by  heat,  add  the  hot  solu- 
tion to  the  melted  oil  of  theobroma  and  mix  by  whisking  or  agita- 
tion ;  shake  in  the  tragacanth,  add  the  benzoic  acid,  then  the 
remainder  of  the  water. 
No.  2,  Ether-Alcohol  Solution  of  Theobroma :  Oil  of  theobroma, 
1  part ;  ether,  to  make  6  parts. 
Dissolve  the  oil  in  the  ether  and  add  an  equal  volume  of  alcohol 
when  required  for  use. 
For  granulating  powders,  the  required  amount  of  the  more  desir- 
able solution  is  mixed  with  the  fine  powder,  in  a  suitable  mortar, 
and  the  moistened  material  passed  through  a  coarse  sieve;  it  is  then 
allowed  to  dry  by  exposure.  The  authors  give  a  number  of  typical 
formulas  illustrating  the  use  of  the  two  solutions. 
Liquor  Rhei  Concentratus  B.P. — Mr.  F.  C.  J.  Bird  stated  that  only 
about  60  per  cent,  of  the  total  available  extractive  of  rhubarb  root 
is  contained  in  the  preparation.  The  author  suggested  the  evapo- 
ration of  about  15  per  cent,  of  the  last  percolate,  and  dissolving 
the  soft  extract  in  sufficient  glycerin  to  make  up  the  required  bulk. 
The  resulting  preparation  is  said  to  keep  perfectly  clear  at  all 
temperatures  and  to  be  perfectly  miscible  with  water. 
Liquor  Sennce  Concentratus  B.P.—  Mr.  F.  C.  J.  Bird  said  that  the 
