326  Minutes  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting,  {^jfi^gj* 
Artificial  Cataplasm,  a  Substitute  for  ordinary  Linseed  Meal  Poultice. — 
Volkhausen  prepares  cataplasms  consisting  of  a  piece  of  white  thick  felt  paperr 
which  is  saturated  with  a  decoction  of  linseed.  When  intended  to  be  used  the 
paper  is  dipped  into  hot  water  5  swells  considerably,  is  then  applied,  covered  with 
caoutchouc  paper,  fastened  with  bandages  or  string,  and  allowed  to  remain  for  12. 
hours  before  a  new  one  needs  to  be  applied. — Pharm.  Ztg.,  Feb.  12,  1879,  P-  95- 
MINUTES  OF  THE  PHARMACEUTICAL  MEETING. 
May  20,  1879. 
On  motion,  Mr.  Wm.  Mclntyre  was  called  to  the  chair.  The  minutes  of  the  last 
meeting  having  been  read,  were  approved. 
Prof.  Maisch  presented  a  number  of  valuable  books,  twenty  in  all,  from  the  library 
of  the  late  Prof.  Carson,  and  many  specimens  of  materia  medica  for  the  cabinet. 
They  were  sent  by  Dr.W.  S  W.  Ruschenberger,  President  of  the  Academy  of  Natural. 
Sciences,  as  he  was  apprised  of  the*  wish  of  Dr.  Carson  that  our  College  should  be. 
the  recipient  of  a  portion  of  his  cabinet  and  library.  The  Registrar  was  directed  to 
return  the  thanks  of  the  College  to  Dr.  Ruschenberger  for  his  thoughtful  kindness 
in  forwarding  the  above  articles. 
Prof.  Maisch  exhibited  a  specimen  of  a  root  and  plant  sent  by  Mr.  Atherdon,  of 
Colusa,  Cal.,  as  being  probably  a  species  of  angelica.  The  plant  belongs  to  the 
umbelliferae,  but  the  genus  cannot  be  determined,  owing  to  the  immature  condition, 
of  the  ovary.  Prof.  Maisch  has  planted  one  of  the  roots,  and  expects  to  receive  the 
fruit  to  enable  him  to  determine  its  botanical  name.  He  also  presented  some  fresh 
rhizomes  of  Maranta  arundinacea  (the  arrowroot  plant),  for  which  he  was  indebted 
to  Prof.  Bedford,  of  New  York.  A  specimen  of  the  Raiz  de  China  de  Mexico^, 
sent  by  Mr.  Kalteyer,  of  San  Antonio,  Texas,  was  exhibited.  It  is  officinal  in  the 
Mexican  Pharmacopoeia  and  there  referred  to  Smilax  rotundifolia ;  but  Prof.  Maisch 
stated  that  this  species  is  indigenous  in  the  United  States  and  has  a  cylindrical  rhi- 
zome, so  that  the  above  reference  is  erroneous.  The  root  is  spindle-shaped,  about 
18  inches  long,  6  or  7  in  diameter  above,  of  a  reddish  brown  color  externally,  lighter 
within,  fleshy,  and  with  numerous  irregular  stria?  of  wood  bundles  5  it  is  nearly 
inodoious  when  dry,  of  a  rather  fruity  odor  when  first  cut  open,  and  of  a  very 
astringent  and  somewhat  bitter  taste.  Diaphoretic  and  purifying  properties  are. 
attributed  to  it,  and  it  is  also  employed  in  dropsy. 
Prof.  Maisch  likewise  presented,  in  behalf  of  Dr.  F.  V.  Greene,  U.  S.  N.,a  speci- 
men of  chloride  of  ammonium  derived  from  the  interior  of  a  Peruvian  guano  bed- 
It  has  the  appearance  of  being  sublimed,  is  hard,  fibrou*,  crystalline  and  of  a  dark- 
gray  color. 
The  following  short  communication  from  Mr.  Hans  M.  Wilder  was  read: 
Filters. — Convenient  as  the  French  round  filters  of  different  sizes  are,  it  will  be- 
found  more  economical  to  keep  the  20  inch  size,  and  cut  up  into  smaller  sizes.  One 
hundred  20-inch  filters  yield 
