^ Mar'chi^'mh' }  ^^^n lites  of  Pharmaceutical  Meetings.  137 
Minutes  of  Meeting  held  February  2\st,  1871. 
Meeting  called  to  order.  Prof.  Procter  in  the  chair.  Minutes  of  last  meet- 
ing were  read,  and  approved  without  alteration. 
Mr.  Gailard  presented  to  the  College  a  copy  of  Glauber's  Cheniistry,  a  very 
interesting  reminiscence  of  chemistry  and  pharmacy  of  200  years  ago.  The 
work'dates  1689. 
The  thanks  of  the  meeting,  on  behalf  of  the  College,  were  unanimously  ten- 
dered to  the  gentleman  for  his  valuable  contribution  to  the  College  library. 
A  communication  from  Charles  Bullock  was  read,  as  follows: 
A  disaster,  occasioned  by  the  breaking  of  large  show-bottles  from  freezing, 
during  the  late  cold  weather,  lead  to  experiments  to  determine  the  congealing 
point  of  mixtures  of  glycerin  with  water,  with  results  as  follows.  Common  gly- 
cerin, sp.  gr,  1  250=29°  B.,  was  used  : 
k  pint  Glycerin  in  1  gallon  of  Water  congeals  at    .  .    30°  F. 
1  u  ]^  ^  u  u  ^  24°  F. 
U     "  "  1     "  "  "  .  .    18°  F. 
2  "  "1     "  "  "  .  .    10°  F. 
3  "  "  i     "  "      remains  fluid  at        .     3°  F. 
Prof.  Maisch  spoke  of  a  combination  of  oil  of  wintergreen  and  sesquichloride 
of  iron  as  forming  a  very  beautiful  coloring  material  for  show-bottles.  Prof. 
Procter  thought  this  combination  was  not  permanent  enough,  as  it  soon  lost 
its  brilliancy  by  exposure  to  the  sunlight. 
Prof.  Procter  mentioned  an  article,  to  appear  in  the  March  number  of  the 
Journal,  by  Mr,  Wharton,  of  Nashville,  Tenn.,  recommending  the  use  of  car- 
bonate of  magnesia  in  making  syrup  of  senega  and  comp.  syrup  of  squills.  The 
magnesia  is  used  similarly  to  the  process  for  the  officinal  waters,  and  is  said  to 
entirely  overcome  the  objectionable  cloudiness  generally  found  in  this  prepara- 
tion, forming,  probably,  a  pectate  of  magnesia.    (See  page  101). 
Mr.  England  said  he  had  no  difficulty  in  making  a  clear  preparation,  by  per- 
colating the  senega  with  diluted  alcohol  first,  then  using  water,  evaporating  the 
watery  solution,  mixing  with  the  tincture  first  obtained,  boiling,  evaporating 
and  allowing  to  settle,  filtering,  and  adding  the  sugar. 
Mr.  Mclntyre  had  used  glycerin  and  carbonate  of  magnesia;  the  glycerin  to 
prevent  the  extract  formed  by  evaporating  from  becoming  too  hard  and 
unmanageable.    This  preparation  was  pronounced  to  be  very  satisfactory. 
Prof.  Procter  spoke  of  the  original  formulae  for  comp.  syrup  squills,  as 
invented  by  Dr.  Cox,  which  consisted  of  a  watery  extract  evaporated  to  syrupy 
consistence  and  combined  with  honey. 
Mr.  Gailard  had  used  with  success  carbonate  of  magnesia  in  the  preparation 
of  tinct.  nux  vomica,  which  obviates  any  cloudiness  from  fixed  oil. 
Prof.  Maisch  made  some  further  remarks  upon  the  crystallization  of  chloral 
hydrate  from  bisulphide  of  carbon.  Not  being  able  to  entirely  free  the  ci'ys- 
tals  from  the  unpleasant  taste  and  smell  of  the  solvent,  alcohol  was  experi- 
mented with.  One  half  pint  was  used,  and  dissolved  17^  ounces  of  chloral  as 
fast  as  it  was  added,  the  mixture  measuring  18  fluidounces.  Prof.  Maisch  could 
not  report  finally  on  this  process  until  the  next  meeting.  Chloral  does  not 
evaporate  as  fast  as  is  generally  supposed.    The  difference  in  price  between 
