54  Pharmaceutical  Colleges  and  Associations.  {  Am ja™1";^ arnu 
grandifolia,  nat.  ord.  Frankeniacea.  Prof.  Maisch  stated  that  this  order  was  related1 
to  the  caryophyllaceae,  and  it  seems  that  only  one  plant  belonging  to  it,  Beatsonia 
portulac<ejoliay  Roxb  ,  a  native  of  Southwestern  Africa,  was  at  one  time  employed 
medicinally.  Prof.  Maisch  also  stated  that  Berberis  aquifolium  had  been  introduced 
as  a  medicinal  agent.  Out  of  twelve  specimens  received  from  different  parts  of  the 
country  only  one  proved  to  be  the  plant  in  question,  the  others  were  the  B.  nervosa* 
He  expressed  the  belief  that  the  species  named  as  well  as  others  belonging  to  the 
section  mahonia,  probably  possess  identical  psoperties. 
Prof.  Maisch  read  a  paper  from  Mr.  L.  Wolff  on  oleic  acid  and  the  use  of  benzin 
in  its  preparation.  (See  p.  8.)  The  proposed  use  of  oleic  acid  for  the  isolation 
of  alkaloids  called  forth  some  favorable  comments. 
The  Librarian  reported  that  the  entire  set  of  the  "  Paris  Journal  of  Pharmacy," 
commencing,  in  1809,  with  the  "  Bulletin  de  Pharmacie,1"'  for  six  years,  then  as 
"  Journal  de  Pharmacie  et  de  Sciences  Accessoires,"  for  27  years,  and  since  then 
continued  as  "Journal  de  Pharmacie  et  de  Chimie,"  could  now  be  consulted  in  the 
Library. 
In  answer  to  a  question  concerning  the  so-called  Unguentum  petrolei,  a  member 
stated  that  he  had  received  prescriptions  for  it,  and  had  found  it  a  good  material, 
for  making  certain  ointments,  and  that  it  would  serve  as  a  basis  for  ungt.  hydrargyri 
oxidi  rubri,  keeping  through  the  heat  of  summer  without  change.  Prof.  Sadtler 
said  certain  .samples  he  had  examined  gave  unmistakable  signs  of  rancidity,  but  that 
if  it  were  really  a  pure  petroleum  product,  it  was  not  liable  to  this  objection. 
The  Actuary  asked  if  any  of  the  members  had  experimented  with  monobro- 
mated camphor  in  its  relations  to  resins  ;  that  experiments  he  had  made  showed  that 
it  would  not  produce  the  pilular  mass  that  ordinary  camphor  did.  It  was  suggested 
to  try  whether  artificial  camphor  resulting  from  the  action  of  hydrochloric  acid  oa 
turpentine  would  produce  similar  reactions. 
There  being  no  further  business,  a  motion  to  adjourn  was  carried. 
T.  S.  Wiegand,  Registrar. 
PHARMACEUTICAL  COLLEGES  AND  ASSOCIATIONS. 
Alumni  Association,  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy. —  The  third  social 
meeting  of  this  season  was  held  on  Thursday,  December  5th,  at  3.30  P.M.  In  the 
absence  of  the  regular  officers,  Dr.  Miller  was  chosen  to  preside.  There  was  an 
attendance  of  between  thirty  and  forty. 
After  the  reading  of  the  minutes,  Mr.  Sayre  read  an  instructive  paper  on  Pill 
Excipients,  and  promised,  at  some  future  time,  to  continue  the  subject. 
Dr.  Miller  suggested  glucose  as  a  good  excipient,  but  few  seemed  to  have  tried  it,, 
except  in  the  form  of  honey.  It  was  stated  that  honey  was  frequently  adulterated 
with  glucose,  and  that  terchloride  of  iron  was  the  best  test  to  detect  it,  as  a  black, 
coloration  was  produced  by  the  addition  of  the  terchloride  to  honey  diluted  with* 
glucose,  but  not  to  the  pure  article.  (?) 
