276  Minutes  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting,  {^^S^T* 
many  uses  in  pharmacy,  he  had  found  to  be  very  desirable.  The  same  gentle- 
man also  exhibited  medicated  gelatin  cylinders  for  treating  diseases  of  the  ear. 
These  as  first  introduced  to  the  notice  ot  the  medical  profession  by  Dr.  Joseph 
Gruber,  of  Vienna,  were  of  an  almond  shape,  but,  consequently,  could  only  be 
introduced  in  one  way,  and  that  sometimes  was  a  cause  of  unnecessary  painy 
while  the  cylindrical  form  permitted  their  introduction  in  any  way  convenient,. 
Vaginal  suppositories  of  gelatin  were  also  exhibited.  These  were  hollow  and  con- 
tained cotton,  which  prevented  the  medicating  components  from  flowing  away. 
Gelatin  cylinders,  similarly  prepared  and  medicated,  having  a  piece  of  silk  thread 
attached  to  them  to  prevent  their  displacement,  were  exhibited  and  their  use  in 
treating  diseases  of  the  nasal  fossae  explained.  All  of  these  appliances  have  been 
used  with  great  satisfaction  in  the  Jefferson  Medical  College  clinics. 
The  question  of  the  propriety  and  legality  of  the  special  patent  medicine  tax  of 
Pennsylvania  was  brought  before  the  attention  of  the  meeting,  and  it  was  thought 
that,  as  it  was  a  matter  which  concerned  the  great  body  of  the  trade  at  large,  if  a 
meeting  of  the  druggists  should  be  called,  it  would  be  generally  responded  to;  the 
discussion  was  widened,  ancl  the  question  of  the  United  States  alcohol  tax  was 
introduced  as  unjust,  but  the  Internal  Revenue  Commissioner,  in  his  interview  with 
a  committee  of  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Association  some  years  ago,  had 
shown  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  frame  a  different  law  without  giving  permission 
to  large  numbers  to  open  stores  under  the  guise  of  pharmacies  which  would  be 
only  liquor  saloons. 
Prof.  Sadtler  alluded  to  uranine  which  was  exhibited  at  the  last  meeting.  Since 
then  he  learned  that  Prof.  Remsen,  of  Baltimore,  had  analyzed  this  substance,  and 
found  it  to  consist  of  a  sodium  compound  of  resorcin-phthalein  (fluorescein).  The 
following  structural  formulas  explain  the  composition  of  pher.ol,  and  of  the 
several  derivatives  alluded  to  : 
C6H5— OH  Phenol. 
1  OH 
CeH4<oH  Resorcm- 
C6H4<coOH  Phthalic  Acid 
C6H4<CO>°  Phtha!ic  AnhYdrid- 
Ce^<CaC66H;oS  Phenol-Pl  thalein. 
CO.C6H3<OH 
C6H4<  O  Resorcin-Phthalein 
CO.C6H3<OH  (Fluorescein). 
Two  gas  stoves,  made  by  the  Buffalo  Dental  Manufacturing  Company,  were  exhib- 
ited. By  simple  changes,  very  great  variations  in  temperature  were  attainable  ;  one 
of  them,  by  aid  of  small  bellows  worked  by  the  foot,  was  capable  of  fusing  several 
ounces  of  cast  iron  in  a  short  time. 
Prof.  Sadtler  described  a  safety  gas  stove  he  had  constructed,  somewhat  after  the 
plan  described  some  years  since  in  "  Sillima'n's  Journal,"  by  means  of  which  ether, 
benzin  or  even  gasolin  could  be  distilled  with  safety  ;  but  he  cautioned  the  members 
