126 
Minutes. 
J  Am.  Jour.  Pharuj. 
L    February,  1818. 
NEW  YORK  COLLEGE  OF  PHARMACY. 
VANII.U. 
The  meeting  of  January  18th  was  devoted  to  the  subject  of  vanilla.  Prof. 
Rusby  introduced  the  discussion  by  giving  a  general  account  of  the  distribution 
and  habits  of  vanilla  plants  and  the  cultivation  and  curing  of  the  bean. 
At  the  present  time  thirty-three  species  of  vanilla  are  recognized  by  the 
Index  Keivensis,  The  New  World  contributes  eighteen  species  ;  three  from 
Mexico,  five  from  the  West  Indies,  two  from  Guiana,  three  from  Brazil,  three 
from  Peru,  and  one  each  from  New  Granada  and  Ecuador.  A  plant  which  Dr. 
Rusby  collected  in  Bolivia  may  belong  to  one  of  the  Peruvian  species,  or  it  may 
constitute  an  additional  one.  In  the  Old  World  fifteen  species  are  known  ;  four 
from  Tropical  Africa,  three  from  the  East  Indies,  two  from  Java,  and  one  each 
from  Ceylon,  Sumatra,  Bourbon,  the  Seychelles,  the  Philippines,  and  the  Malay 
Peninsula.  Dr.  Rusby  has  observed  Orchidaceous  fruits  in  another  genus, 
closely  related  to  vanilla,  having  a  strong  vanilla  odor,  evidently  due  to  vanil- 
lin. The  curiug  and  cultivation  of  vanilla  were  illustrated  by  dried  specimens 
of  the  plants,  by  colored  lantern  slides  showing  the  different  stages  of  curing, 
the  structure  of  the  flowers  and  the  methods  of  artificial  pollenation. 
Professor  Jelliffe  described  the  microscopical  structure  of  the  fruit,  and 
named  two  species  of  moulds  found  on  some  fruit. 
Professor  Coblentz  followed  with  a  very  full  resume  of  the  chemistry  of  vanillin 
and  the  complicated  processes  connected  with  its  manufacture  at  different  times 
and  by  different  makers. 
The  discussion  was  concluded  by  Mr.  Oscar  Kalish,  who  considered  vanilla 
preparations  and  their  use  at  the  soda  fountain.  His  remarks  were  illustrated 
by  specimens  of  extracts  carefully  prepared  according  to  the  several  formulas 
to  which  he  referred. 
MINUTES  OF  THE  PHARMACEUTICAL  MEETING. 
Philadelphia,  January  18,  1898. 
At  the  regular  monthly  Pharmaceutical  Meeting  of  the  Philadelphia  College 
of  Pharmacy,  the  Registrar  called  attention  to  the  very  handsome  specimen  of 
Kola  nuts,  both  white  and  red,  which  has  been  obtained  by  Mr.  Joseph  W. 
England  from  Messrs.  F.  Stearns  &  Co.,  of  Detroit,  Mich.  Attention  was  called 
to  the  fact  that  the  color  was  admirably  preserved  by  the  90  per  cent,  glycerin. 
Specimens  of  quilled  Cascara  Sagrada  of  beautiful  quality  from  the  same  firm 
were  also  presented. 
Specimens  of  Malt  in  powder  from  Messrs.  John  Wyeth  &  Brother  were  pre 
sented.  These  were  prepared  in  vacuum  pans  and  consequently  uninjured  by 
the  process  of  evaporation. 
Specimens  of  Aniimony  ores  were  present  id  by  Messrs.  Mcllvaine  Brothers, 
of  Philadelphia. 
A  lot  of  railroad  iron,  asphalt,  oakum,  etc. ,  weighing  some  thirty  pounds,  was 
exhibited,  which  had  been  taken  from  a  case  of  opium  recently  received  by  a 
Philadelphia  importing  firm.  The  steamship  company  was  held  liable  in  this 
instance  for  what  appeared  to  be  a  case  of  theft  or  substitution  during  trans- 
portation. 
Professor  Lowe  then  introduced  Mr.  F.  B.  Kilmer,  of  New  Brunswick,  N.  J., 
