636  Minutes  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting,  {^'^■llcl'^^'''^' 
Jefferson  Medical  College  under  Prof.  Rivley.  These  with  Prof.  Trimble's 
lectures  to  the  class  on  urinary  analysis,  left  nothing  to  be  desired,  and 
were  well  worth  the  time  and  money  spent.  The  simple  apparatus  Prof. 
Trimble  used  for  the  estimation  of  urea  is  an  illustration  of  how  we  learn 
by  seeing  or  doing  what  we  probably  would  overlook,  or  not  attempt  if  left 
to  find  ourselves,  or  work  out  from  the  books.  Urinary  examination  does 
not  require  much  time  and  pays  well.  I  never  charge  physicians  more 
than  half-price,  and  sometimes  make  no  charge. 
"  Recently,  after  making  a  complete  analysis  of  a  mineral  water  found  in 
Franklin,  Pa.,  while  I  had  my  apparatus  and  reagents  in  order  for  the  de- 
termination of  organic  impurities  by  Wanklyn's  method,  I  concluded  to 
offer  to  the  School  Board  and  citizens  to  determine  the  amount  of  chlorine 
(which  I  did  volumetrically)  and  "  free  and  albuminoid  ammonia"  for  $1.50 
for  each  well,  during  the  following  week.  I  was  surprized  to  get  over  twenty 
applications  in  the  time  stated.  People  will  pay  that  amount  to  know  what 
kind  of  water  they  use,  who  will  not  pay  $5  or  $6.  Having  everything  in 
good  working  order  I  was  able  to  complete  duplicate  analyses  in  about  one 
hour  and  a-half,  or  easily  do  four  a  day  and  attend  to  other  duties.  The 
cost  of  materials  was  little  and  the  experiment  paid  well  for  the  time  re- 
quired. The  Wanklyn  method  is  not  difficult,  in  fact  easy,  after  having 
once  gone  through  it  under  instruction  ;  but  it  would  be  discouraging  and 
uncertain  to  most  persons  who  would  attempt  it  even  from  the  explicit  di- 
rections of  the  author.  Therefore  one  or  two  days  in  the  laboratory  under 
instructions  would  be  more  satisfactory  than  a  week  or  more  working  it  out 
for  yourself.  In  fact  this  statement  applies  to  the  pharmaceutical  and  mi- 
croscopical laboratories  as  well  as  to  the  chemical  work-shop. 
"  I  wish  to  mention  the  way  I  overcome  the  tendency  of  the  flasks  to  crack 
during  the  distillation  of  the  water.  I  place  a  piece  of  wire  gauze  about 
one-eighth  inch  below  the  flask,  so  that  they  do  not  touch,  and  have  had  no 
trouble  since. 
"  Of  course,  a  chemist  is  consulted  on  subjects  as  varied  as  Nature  herself. 
Farmer  Smith's  crops  failed ;  he  wants  the  soil  examined,  if  it  won't  cost  over 
fifty  cents.  Neighbor  Jones  thinks  his  whiskey  is  drugged,  because  it  affects 
his  bladder.  Brown  finds  fool's  gold  in  digging  his  well ;  Black's  chickens 
were  found  dead  one  morning,  and  he  brings  their  stomachs  over  to  be  *  an- 
alyzed.' The  barber  brings  a  new  hone  to  be  examined  with  the  micro- 
scope, to  see  if  there  are  any  flaws  or  rough  spots  in  it.  All  would  be 
pleased  to  have  your  services  if  it  costs  little  or  nothing.  These  are  all  ac- 
tual facts. 
"  Interspersed  with  these  comes  work  that  pays.  I  will  note  a  few  :  One 
person  paid  $2  to  know  that  a  certain  dough  wall-paper  cleaner  was  colored 
with  red  aniline.  A  confectioner  some  time  ago  brought  me  specimens  of 
oils  of  lemon  and  peppermint,  which  he  had  bought  for  pure,  and  had  paid 
a  good  price  for.  I  put  10  cc.  oil  of  peppermint  in  a  graduated  tube,  and 
added  10  cc.  of  glycerin,  shook  thoroughly,  and  allowed  to  separate.  The 
oil  only  occupied  now  5  cc,  while  the  alcohol  it  had  been  reduced  with  com- 
bined with  the  glycerin  making  15  cc.   The  oil  of  lemon  was  60  per  cent. 
