AmjXyJ\IS?rm'}  Pharmaceutical  Colleges  and  Associations.  363 
sylvania;  the  list  is  arranged  in  groups  of  adjacent  counties,  but  quantities 
could  be  obtained  only  in  few  instances.  Besides  such  staple  articles,  like 
tobacco,  hops  and  paraffin,  the  following  were  reported  as  being  sold  in  largest 
quantities:  ginseng,  burdock,  elecampane, cimicifuga,  mullein,  kalmia,hepatica, 
stramonium,  spearmint,  peppermint,  marjoram,  flaxseed,  wax,  and  the  oils  of 
gaultheria,  sweet  birch  and  sassafras. 
Drugs  and  Preparations  in  little  demand. — Prof.  S.  H.  Stevens  has  collected 
statistics  from  235  pharmacists  doing  business  in  36  counties  in  Pennsylvania, 
from  which  it  appears  that  there  is  little  demand  for  610  out  of  the  997  drugs 
and  preparations  of  the  pharmacopoeia,  namely :  For  11  abstracts,  3  vinegars, 
9  acids,  4  waters,  4  cerates,  2  papers,  2  confections,  2  collodions,  2  decoctions, 
12  plasters,  78  extracts  and  fluid  extracts,  4  infusions,  5  liniments,  5  lithium 
salts,  8  mixtures,  4  mucilages,  2  oleates,  6  oleoresins,  18  oils,  5  pills,  8  potassium 
compounds,  12  sodium  salts,  3  spirits,  15  syrups,  27  tinctures,  74  troches,  13  oint- 
ments, and  4  wines,  the  remainder  being  vegetable  and  animal  drugs. 
Commercial  Tartaric  and  Citric  Acids— Prof.  Trimble  examined  six  com- 
mercial samples  of  tartaric  acid,  which  contained  between  99'45  and  99'90  per 
cent,  of  H2C4H406,  *08  and  *29  of  moisture,  and  "009  and  '40  per  cent,  of  ash. 
Only  one  of  the  samples  gave  indications  of  slight  traces  of  lead;  sulphuric 
acid  was  absent  from  two,  present  as  traces  in  three,  and  present  in  somewhat 
larger  proportion  in  one  sample.  (See  also  Am.  Jour.  Phar.,  1885,  p.  228).  The 
three  samples  of  citric  acid  examined  were  free  from  other  organic  acid-*,  con- 
tained traces  of  sulphate  and  of  lead,  and  yielded  between  *065  and  "084  per 
cent,  of  ash;  the  percentage  of  ¥LzC&nbO^  H20  was  99*82,  99*96  and  101*92, 
the  last  sample  having  somewhat  effloresced. 
Annatto. — G.  W.  Kennedy  examined  8  commercial  samples,  in  which  the 
moisture  varied  between  1875  and  55*0  per  cent.,  and  the  amount  of  ash  be- 
tween 5  and  28  per  cent.  A  colorimetric  test  was  made  with  the  dried  samples 
in  alcoholic  tinctures  of  1:1000;  taking  the  darkest  colored  tincture  as  the 
standard,  100,  the  others  ranged  70,  60,  50,  50,  20,  20,  10. 
Honey.—  J.  W.  Pidpath  has  made  numerous  unsuccessful  experiments  with 
the  view  of  preventing  the  crystallization  of  honey  without  making  any  addi- 
tion; remelting  at  a  low  temperature,  and  keeping  the  liquefied  honey  in  a 
moderately  warm  place  is  recommended,  and  a  little  glycerin  may  be  added. 
Further  experiments  will  be  made. 
The  Purity  of  Beeswax. — J.  L.  Lochman  reviewed  the  tests  for  detecting  resins, 
fats,  fatty  acids,  paraffin,  water,  amylaceous  and  mineral  substances. 
Oil  of  Camphor,  by  C  A.  Heinitsh.  During  the  past  sixteen  months  94,500 
lbs.  of  this  oil  were  imported  into  the  United  States;  but  it  was  impossible  to 
ascertain  in  what  manner-  it  is  consumed.  The  oil  is,  to  a  limited  extent,  em- 
ployed in  medicine,  and  is  said  to  be  used  in  the  manufacture  of  celluloid, 
varnishes,  paints,  lampblack,  and  of  low-priced  toilet  soaps;  it  is  also  stated  to 
be  employed  for  adulterating  volatile  oils,  such  as  sassafras,  cajuput,  cubeb, 
cassia,  anise,  gaultheria,  rhodium,  peppermint,  etc.  No  reliable  tests  are  known 
for  detecting  such  adulterations. 
Petrolatum. — J.  B.  Duble  compared  three  commercial  specimens  of  soft  paraffin 
with  two  more  expensive  ones  sold  under  trade  names,  and  ascertained  the 
former  to  compare  favorably  with  the  latter.   The  pharmacopoeial  tests  appear 
