106  Minutes  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting.  {AmFebTimarm* 
Prof.  Sadtler  gave  a  very  interesting  and  instructive  account  of  the  manufac- 
ture of  Celluloid  illustrated  by  a  large  number  of  specimens  of  the  crude  material 
and  of  the  finished  products.  This  material  was  originally  discovered  by  an 
Englishman  named  Parkes,  in  1865,  and  by  him  named  parkesine.  His  first 
experiments  were  made  by  treating  pyroxylin  with  different  solvents  of  a 
liquid  character ;  among  them  mineral  and  wood  naphthas  and  glacial  acetic 
acid,  to  which  camphor  was  added.  In  1868  a  medal  was  given  him  at  the 
Paris  Exposition,  but  as  he  failed  to  make  it  a  commercial  success,  it  dropped 
out  of  use.  In  1870  the  Brothers  Hyatt,  then  of  Albany,  found  that  the  solvent 
best  adapted  to  the  purpose  was  camphor  heated  to  the  melting  point;  when 
pyroxylin  is  comminuted  and  thoroughly  mixed  with  the  melted  camphor  it 
becomes  a  plastic,  homogeneous  solid,  capable  of  being  moulded  into  almost  any 
form.  The  principal  company,  located  at  Newark,  N.  J.,  devote  their  energies 
to  developing  new  uses  for  the  crude  material,  while  the  finishing  of  different 
smaller  articles  is  left  for  the  companies  licensed  by  the  proprietors  of  the  pro- 
cess. Among  the  different  uses  it  has  been  applied  to,  the  manufacture  of  keys 
for  pianofortes  and  organs  is  a  very  extensive  one ;  about  80  per  cent,  of  the 
instruments  being  supplied  with  keys  from  this  source,  it  being  preferable  to 
ivory  as  it  retains  its  whiteness  much  longer.  While  in  the  plastic  state  celu- 
loid  may  be  colored  and  stratified  so  as  to  imitate  agate,  cornelian  and  other 
precious  stones.  It  is  capable  of  being  drawn  out  into  filaments,  resembling 
wire,  and  of  being  rolled  out  into  thin  transparent  sheets,  and,  as  it  is  very 
light,  it  is  preferable  to  vulcanite,  for  many  purposes;  in  making  plates  for 
artificial  teeth,  the  very  small  amount  of  cinnabar  required  to  color  it,  removes 
the  danger  of  the  injurious  mercurial  effect  which  is  complained  of  when  vul- 
canite is  used  for  that  purpose.  It  has  been  applied  to  various  kinds  of  fabrics, 
being  preferable  to  oil  cloth,  as  it  is  not  liable  to  crack.  As  a  surfacing  for  wood 
it  is  superior  to  varnish,  not  being  affected  b;  moisture.  Its  elasticity  and 
toughness  make  it  very  serviceable  for  watch  dials,  billiard  balls,  combs  and 
brush-stocks,  while  the  finish,  which  the  material  is  capable  of  receiving,  ren- 
ders it  probable  that  its  use  will  be  extended  constantly. 
Mr.  Bullock,  the  president  of  the  College,  sent  to  the  meeting  a  horn  scoop, 
which  had  been  left  in  a  box  along  with  some  worm-eaten  coriander  seeds ;  the 
insects  having  satiated  themselves  with  the  seeds,  turned  to  the  horn  scoop, 
the  surface  and  edges  of  which  they  had  completely  destroyed. 
Some  samples  of  sandballs,  called  by  the  quarrymen  bombshells,  because  they 
explode  under  certain  conditions,  were  exhibited  and  presented  by  Mr.  Bullock. 
Prof.  Sadtler  alluded  to  the  new  apparatus  which  had  just  been  imported  for 
the  use  of  the  College,  and  said  that  he  had  hoped  to  have  it  exhibited,  but 
owing  to  the  bad  packing,  it  was  somewhat  injured  and  would  require  repairing 
before  being  used. 
Mr.  Procter  inquired  whether  any  of  the  members  had  found  any  sugar  that 
was  free  from  ultramarine.  This  elicited  a  statement  from  several  members 
that,  while  much  of  the  sugar  of  commerce  was  so  doctored  and  in  some  in- 
stances so  badly  as  to  be  productive  of  serious  annoyance,  yet  sugar  free  from 
artificial  coloring  could  be  obtained. 
There  being  no  further  business,  a  motion  to  adjourn  was  carried. 
T.  S.  Wiegaxd,  Registrar. 
