Am.  Jour.  Pharru.") 
November.  18i<8.  j 
Pharmaceutical  Meeting. 
583 
papers  was  begun.  Prof.  Joseph  P.  Remington  having  continued  his  experi- 
ments with  acetic  acid  as  a  menstruum  and  solvent,  presented  a  paper  entitled 
"Fluid  Ace  tracts  "  (see  page  543).  The  subject  is  one  fraught  with  interest 
not  only  from  the  pharmaceutical  standpoint,  but  is  of  commercial  importance 
as  well,  and  aroused  considerable  discussion. 
In  reply  to  a  question  by  F.  X.  Moerk,  as  to  the  keeping  qualities  of  fluid 
acetracts,  Professor  Remington  said  that  this  series  of  preparations  required  as 
much  individuality  and  study  on  the  part  of  those  engaged  in  their  manufac- 
ture, as  the  alcoholic  preparations  required  to  bring  them  up  to  their  present 
standard  of  efficiency.  Hot  weather  does  not  appear  to  affect  their  stability, 
some  of  the  samples  having  been  kept  for  five  years.  For  some  preparations, 
a  to  per  cent,  acetic  acid  menstruum  was  found  to  be  too  weak.  Others  parti- 
cipating in  the  discussion  of  the  paper  were  Thos.  S.  Wiegand,  Wallace  Proc- 
ter, F.  W.  Haussmann  and  the  chairman. 
F.  W.  Haussmann  presented  a  contribution  on  "  The  Inversion  of  Cane  Sugar 
in  Official  Syrups,"  which  will  be  published  in  a  subsequent  issue  of  this  Jour- 
nal. The  results  obtained  by  the  author  showed  that  free  mineral  acids  have 
a  pronounced  influence  in  inverting  the  cane  sugar  present  in  syrups,  and  indi- 
rectly in  causing  the  change  of  color  so  often  noticed  in  these  preparations. 
Free  organic  acids  also  cause  the  formation  of  sugars  having  a  reducing  action 
on  Fehling's  solution.  Furthermore,  it  was  observed  that  syrups  which  con- 
tain no  free  acid  do  not  show  the  presence  of  more  than  small  amounts  of  reduc- 
cing  sugars  either  in  freshly  made  samples  or  in  those  which  have  been  kept 
for  some  time. 
Several  practical  points  were  brought  out  in  the  discussion  of  this  paper. 
Remarking  upon  the  question  of  gastric  irritation  caused  by  the  administra- 
tion of  syrups,  Professor  Remington  did  not  think  it  likely  that  the  small 
amount  of  laevulose  present  would  cause  the  trouble,  but  that  it  was  probably 
due  to  other  constituents.  Continuing  his  remarks,  he  said  that  recent  investi- 
gations in  regard  to  the  effects  of  glucose  on  the  animal  economy  had  con- 
firmed the  view  that  it  is  far  more  wholesome  than  saccharose  as  an  article  of 
food,  and  that  there  is  evidence  of  its  growing  in  favor  in  this  respect. 
Dr.  C.  A.  Weidemann  said  that  he  had  suffered  considerable  loss  from  the 
darkening  of  syrups,  and  suggested  the  use  of  rock  candy  in  their  preparation, 
which  he  had  found  to  be  more  successful. 
Mr.  Haussmann  maintained,  however,  that  the  prevention  of  change  of  color 
was  impossible  unless  something  other  than  sugar  was  used.  Syrups  made 
with  glycerin  and  saccharose  did  not  deposit,  but  became  darker.  He  said  that 
the  only  remedy  was  a  cool  temperature. 
The  following  members  also  took  part  in  the  discussion  :  Professor  Moerk, 
Messrs.  England,  L,a  Wall,  Procter,  Boring  and  the  chairman. 
An  interesting  part  of  the  program  was  that  devoted  to  an  expression  of 
opinion  concerning  the  Baltimore  meeting  of  the  American  Pharmaceutical 
Association.  The  speakers  all  expressed  themselves  as  having  very  much 
enjoyed  the  hospitality  of  the  pharmacists  of  Baltimore  and  the  social  features 
of  the  meeting.  The  work  accomplished  by  the  several  sections  of  the  Asso 
ciation  was  also  spoken  of  in  high  terms  and  as  giving  evidence  of  progress 
along  their  respective  lines. 
An  exhibition  of  botanical  and  drug  specimens  next  occupied  the  attention 
