366       Pennsylvania  Pharmaceutical  Association.  {A 
Name  of 
Drug. 
Quantity  of 
Drug  used 
in 
Grammes. 
Amount  of 
Menstruum 
used  in  C.C 
Amount  of 
Extract 
Obtained 
Grammes. 
Cost  of 
Drug. 
Cost  of 
Men- 
oU  Uu  1X1 . 
Cost  of 
Extract. 
List 
Price. 
Ergot.  .  . 
250 
500 
100 
■ 
$0.18 
$0.18 
50.09 
$  .56 
Gentian  . 
500 
1,200 
380 
.14 
•35 
•035 
.24 
Belladonna 
500 
1,000 
210 
1.30 
•32 
.23 
.30 
Cascara  .  . 
500 
1,000 
250 
.18 
•32 
.06^ 
•  30 
The  menstruum  used  was  40  per  cent,  acetic  acid.  The  author  also  exhibited 
preparations  of  Tinct.  Opii  Deod.  which  had  been  treated  with  common  petro- 
leum benzin  instead  of  ether. 
Professor  Remington  called  attention  to  the  fact  that  Tinct.  Opii  Deod.  so 
made  had  an  odor  of  some  of  the  lower  boiling  products.  Mr.  Lemberger 
stated  that  he  did  not  recognize  the  odor  in  the  preparation  submitted.  Mr. 
Cliffe  called  attention  to  the  fact  that  some  of  the  manufacturers  of  assayed 
drugs,  in  supplying  the  drug  for  the  manufacture  of  Tinct.  OpiiDeod.,  extracted 
it  previously  with  benzin.  Professor  Remington  said  that  the  use  of  the  benzin 
at  this  point  in  the  operation  was  better  than  at  the  end,  because  the  objection- 
able features  were  apparently  overcome. 
Dr.  Clement  B.  Lowe  read  a  paper  entitled  "The  Influence  of  Drugs  upon 
History  and  Civilization."  He  said  that  the  influence  of  drugs  had  been  mani- 
fested in  several  ways,  viz.:  (1)  In  promoting  discovery  and  geographical 
knowledge  by  the  search  for  costly  drugs  ;  (2)  in  opening  countries  to  com- 
merce and  promoting  intercourse  between  different  nations;  (3)  in  the  stimu- 
lation of  agriculture  and  commerce  through  their  introduction  into  new  coun- 
tries ;  (4)  in  rendering  habitable  unhealthful  parts  of  the  world  ;  (5)  in  creat- 
ing new  industries;  (6)  in  influencing  favor,  as  presents  ;  (7)  unfavorable  influ- 
ences upon  the  world.  Dr.  Miller  remarked  on  the  value  and  interest  in  the 
study  of  Materia  Medica  as  presented  b}^  the  author. 
The  remaining  papers  were  read  on  Friday  morning. 
The  first  paper  was  on  Laboratory  Notes,  by  C.  A.  La  Wall  and  Robt.  C. 
Pursel.    This  is  printed  in  full  on  p.  340  of  this  issue. 
Louis  Emanuel  had  a  note  on  the  "Sale  of  Poisons."  In  his  opinion  it  is 
the  duty  of  the  Pharmacy  Board  to  find  out  which  of  the  proprietary  prepara- 
tions are  poisonous,  so  that  their  sale  may  be  properly  regulated.  He  would 
distinguish  between  proprietary  remedies  and  proprietary  poisons;  e.  g.,  Rough 
on  Rats,  while  commonly  considered  a  proprietary  remedy,  is  really  a  propri- 
etary poison.  Louis  Emanuel  also  had  several  papers  relating  to  the  "Work  of 
the  Pharmacy  Board."  While  a  practical  examination  was  desirable,  it  did  not 
seem  feasible  as  yet.  The  query,  "  How  Can  a  Fuller  Knowledge  of  the  Phar- 
macopoeia be  Disseminated  among  Physicians?"  was  considered  in  a  paper  by 
D.  J.  Thomas.  After  enumerating  some  of  the  causes  which  have  led  physicians 
to  depart  from  the  use  of  the  Pharmacopoeia  as  an  auxiliary  guide  in  their  practice, 
the  author  made  some  recommendations  which  he  thought  would  apply  as  a 
remedy  to  this  condition.  (1 )  He  recommended  that  the  State  Pharmaceutical 
Association  exercise  its  influence  in  getting  medical  colleges  to  attach  more 
