508  American  Pharmaceutical  Association.  {Am'oct*\m&Tm' 
passing  votes  of  thanks  and  other  routine  business  the  Association  then 
adjourned. 
As  stated  before,  the  third  and  fifth  sesions  had  been  set  apart  exclusively 
for  the  reading  of  papers.  In  another  place  we  print  the  following  papers 
in  full :  Analysis  of  Phlox  Carolina,  by  Prof.  Trimble ;  Assay  of  Guarana, 
by  H.  W.  Snow,  and  Determination  of  Melting  Points,  by  H.  C.  C.  Maisch. 
The  remaining  papers  presented  were  as  follows  : 
A  Study  of  Peptonization,  by  R.  G.  Eccles,  M.  D. — This  is  a  lengthy  inquiry 
into  the  nature  of  peptones,  and  the  conditions  of  digestion  in  the  presence 
of  various  acids  and  other  compounds,  and  at  different  temperatures. 
While  many  salts  throw  down  a  portion  of  the  peptones,  the  best  precipi- 
tants  are  the  sodio-hydric  and  disodic  molybdates,  causing  white  precipi- 
tates which  are  partly  soluble  in  ammonia  with  a  light  blue  color;  but  in 
the  presence  of  potassium  citrate  or  acetate,  which  salts  throw  down  a 
portion  of  the  peptone,  the  molybdate  fails  to  produce  a  precipitate. 
Many  samples  of  pepsin  yield  similar  precipitates  with  the  molybdate,  but 
it  has  not  yet  been  ascertained  whether  pure  pepsin  is  thus  affected.  True 
peptone  is  the  product  of  true  digestion,  and  is  soluble  in  alkaline,  acid 
and  neutral  liquids,  while  parapeptone,  an  injurious  product  of  semi-diges- 
tion, is  precipitated  by  salts  in  neutral  solutions,  and  in  some  cases  also 
from  acid  liquids.  The  best  results  for  the  peptonization  of  ground 
albumen  at  a  temperature  of  38°-40°  CI,  were  obtained  with  '3  and  '2 
per  cent,  of  HC1  in  90  minutes,  and  with  '2  per  cent,  in  30  minutes, 
while  the  peptonizing  power  decreased  if  less  than  1  per  cent,  of  phos- 
phoric, citric  or  tartaric  acid  was  used.  The  effects  of  other  acids  differed 
from  these.  For  the  purpose  of  testing  the  peptonizing  power,  the  tem- 
perature of  55°  C.  (130°  F.),  applied  for  30  minutes,  was  found  to  b'e  the  best. 
Pills  containing  pepsin  and  reduced  iron,  had  been  found  to  have  no  diges- 
tive power,  and  it  was  ascertained  to  be  due  to  the  disappearance  of  the  free 
acid.  Alcohol  scarcely  interferes  with  artificial  digestion  until  the 
strength  of  the  mixture  exceeds  8  or  10  per  cent.  The  cinchona  alkaloids 
have  a  retarding  effect,  but  less  in  the  presence  of  excess  of  acid.  Marked 
retarding  effects  were  also  observed  with  all  salicylates,  bismuth  citrate, 
alkalies,  alkaline  salts,  oils  of  cinnamon  and  cloves,  excess  of  glycerin,  etc. 
A  Study  of  Pepsin,  by  R.  G.  Eccles,  M.  D. — In  the  light  of  the  foregoing 
results,  22  commercial  samples  of  American  and  European  origin  were 
subjected  to  a  comparative  examination,  and  it  was  found  that  the  prices 
charged  for  the  different  brands  were  no  indication  of  the  digestive  power. 
Selecting  as  the  standard,  a  scaled  pepsin,  the  market  price  of  many 
brands  were  found  to  be  of  much  less  value  than  the  price  paid  for  them, 
while  others,  apparently  such  which  are  made  in  response  to  the  require- 
ments of  the  Pharmacopoeia,  were  found  to  be  worth  more  than  they  cost, 
the  price  per  ounce  being  about  35  cents,  and  the  value  according  to  the 
standard  adopted  about  50  cents.  However,  some  of  the  articles  contain 
also  other  ferments,  which  may  very  materially  raise  their  true  value. 
Pepsin  which  becomes  sticky  seems  to  decrease  in  value,  while  dry  and 
saccharated  pepsins  retain  their  digestive  power,  for  several  years  at  least. 
