Am){™%!?9™'}  Minutes  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting.  53 
obtained  by  filtering  the  Schuylkill  water  :  the  animalculae  are  readily  discernible 
with  a  microscope  of  the  power  of  150  diameters;  diatoms  are  easily  recognized  and 
after  some  weeks  of  observation  a  volvox  was  found  yesterday.  It  shows  the  great 
necessity  for  filtering  all  water  used  in  pharmaceutical  dispensing.  It  was  thought 
singular  that  the  water  supplied  from  the  Schuykill  now  should  be  less  fitted  for 
pharmaceutic  uses  than  that  obtained  twenty  years  ago;  when  it  is  remembered 
how  many  towns  have  grown  up  through  that  part  of  the  State  through  which  the 
Schuylkill  and  its  tributaries  pass,  and  the  great  manufacturing  industries  that  have 
been  developed  this  surprise  will  be  seen  to  have  no  good  foundation  ;  it  was  gen- 
rally  acceeded  that  reservoirs  of  subsidence  should  be  provided  that  greater  purity 
of  water  might  be  obtained. 
The  discussion  that  ensued  called  forth  a  notice  that  the  College  was  supplied 
with  apparatus  by  which  such  objects  could  be  well  displayed  to  all  who  desired  to 
see  them,  and  members  were  advised  that  with  the  microscopic  attachment  to  the 
Zentmayer  lantern  the  peculiar  structure  of  different  drugs  was  exhibited  by  Prof. 
Maiscli  in  connection  with  his  lectures. 
A  query  whether  any  member  present  had  made  use  of  spun  glass  as  a  filtering 
medium  was  replied  to  in  the  affimative.  The  substance  may  be  used  for  filtering 
acids  and  other  corrosive  liquids,  and  is  made  by  Messrs.  Whitall,  Tatum  &  Co., 
glass  manufacturers,  of  this  city. 
Prof.  Maisch  placed  on  the  table  the  report  of  the  regents  of  the  Smithsonian 
Institution,  as  presented  by  their  secretary  to  the  College  ;  he  also  called  the  atten- 
tion of  the  members  to  the  first  three  numbers  of  the  "  Chemist  and  Druggist," 
published  in  Victoria,  Australia. 
The  Actuary  called  attention  to  the  valuable  collection  of  works  already  in  the 
library  relating  to  the  subject  ot  the  cinchonas  and  their  cultivation,  and  Prof. 
Maisch  presented  several  volumes  upon  the  same  subject  by  Prof.  Reichardt,  by 
Prof.  Fliickiger  and  by  Soubeiran  and  Delondre.  On  motion  a  vote  of  thanks  was 
tendered  to  Prof.  Maisch  for  his  acceptable  donation. 
Prof.  Maisch  presented  to  the  cabinet  specimens  of  the  Mexican  soap  root,  which 
is  the  upright  rhizome  of  a  monocotyledonous  plant  and  is  used  as  a  substitute  for 
soap  by  the  Mexicans  5  it  was  brought  here  by  Mr.  Fesquet  who  had  traveled  in 
Mexico,  but  was  unable  to  ascertain  its  botanical  origin. 
Mr.  Jacobs,  through  Prof.  Maisch,  presented  specimens  of  China  berries,  the 
fruit  of  the  Melia  Azedarach,  which  grows  freely  in  Virginia  and  further  South, 
and  is  planted  for  its  shade  $  the  berries  during  the  war  of  the  rebellion  were  used  as 
a  source  of  whiskey. 
The  oil  of  asarum  canadense  was  exhibited  by  Prof.  Maiseh,  who  stated  it  was 
>much  used  in  perfumery,  not  so  much  for  its  own  odor  as  for  reinforcing  the  odor 
of  other  perfumes.  It  was  made  by  Fritsche  of  New  York  j  it  was  thought  by 
some  to  resemble  oil  of  rhodium,  and  by  others  oil  of  sandalwood  Prof.  Maisch 
exhibited  specimens  of  the  bark  of  Rhamnus  Purshiana,  which  had  been  introduced 
under  the  fictitious  name  of  Cascara  sagrado,  which  name,  according  to  Dr.  Gibbons 
of  San  Francisco,  is  unknown  on  the  Pacific  coast,  as  is  likewise  the  name  of  Yerba 
Reuma.    The  latter  has  a  very  salty  taste  and  has  been  recognized  as  the  Frankenia 
