EDITORIAL. 
573 
possible  to  make  a  fair  trial  of  propagating  the  ipecacuanha  plant  in  India 
or  elsewhere." 
"The  experiments  made  in  cultivating  the  jalap  plant  (Exogonium 
purga,  Benth.),  are  much  more  hopeful,  and  I  have  the  gratification  of 
presenting  to  your  notice  the  first  specimen  of  that  drug  produced  in 
India.  It  was  grown  at  Ootacamund,  where  live  roots,  carried  from  Eng- 
land by  my  friend  Mr.  Broughton,  were  planted  in  January^  1867.  These 
roots  grew  with  surprising  luxuriance,  each  producing  a  fine  cluster  of 
tubers.  Some  of  them  were  dug  up  in  December  of  the  same  year,  when 
the  largest  tuber  was  found  to  weigh  over  a  pound  and  a  half.  This 
jalap  of  India,  you  will  observe,  differs  very  notably  in  appearance  from 
what  we  get  from  Mexico,  owing  chiefly  to  a  different  mode  of  drying  ;  in 
fact  to  facilitate  this  operation  the  tubers  have  been  sliced.  It  compares, 
however,  favorably  with  that  of  Mexico  as  regards  percentage  of  resin, 
and  from  a  few  trials  made  in  India  we  may  judge  that  its  medicinal 
powers  are  fully  maintained." 
The  general  results  of  the  conference  appear  to  have  been  quite  success- 
ful. A  number  of  excellent  papers  were  produced,  several  of  which  have 
transferred  to  this  number.  A  new  feature  is  the  contribution  of  papers 
from  foreign  sources,  two  such  appearing  in  the  proceedings  from  Dr.  Fliick- 
iger,  of  Switzerland,  one  of  which,  on  opium,  may  be  seen  at  page  524. 
The  membership  of  the  Conference  now  numbers  over  550,  the  meeting 
forms  a  common  ground  on  which  all  classes  of  pharmaceutists  may  meet, 
and  its  harmonizing  influence  is  even  now  being  realized.  At  the  third 
sitting,  a  proposition  for  the  election  of  foreign  members  was  decided  on 
affirmatively,  it  having  previously  been  understood  that  the  number  should 
be  limited  to  twenty.  For  the  present,  seven  only  were  proposed,  viz., 
Prof.  P.  W.  Bedford,  of  New  York,  Mr.  Augustus  Ambroise  Delondre,  of 
Sevres,  France,  Mr.  Albert  E.  Ebert,  of  Chicago,  Dr.  J.  B.  Edwards, 
Ph.D.  and  F.C.S.,  of  Montreal,  Canada,  Dr.  F.  A.  Fluekiger,  of  Bern, 
Switzerland,  Prof.  Edward  Parrish,  of  Philadelphia,  and  William  Procter, 
Jr.,  of  Philadelphia,  and  after  a  ballot  was  taken  the  President  announced 
their  due  election. 
At  the  fourth  sitting  it  was  decided  to  hold  the  next  meeting  at  Exeter. 
The  following  officers  were  elected  for  the  year  1868-9  : 
D.  Hanbury,  of  London,  President;  H.  Deane  and  Prof.  Bentley,  of 
London,  Vice-Presidents  as  Ex -Presidents ;  W.  W.  Stoddarfc,  of  Bristol,  J. 
Ince,  London,  G.  Cooper,  Exeter,  H.  S.  Evans,  London,  Vice-Presidents  ; 
II.  B.  Brady,  New  Castle,  Treasurer  ;  Prof.  Attfield,  London,  R.  Reynolds 
Leeds,  General  Secretaries;  Matthew  Husband,  Exeter,  Local  Secretary. 
There  was  also  an  exhibition  held  in  connection  with  the  meeting  which 
embraced  many  interesting  specimens  in  materia  medica,  chemicals  and 
apparatus. 
