284 
Editorial. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm: 
June,  1876. 
Within  the  Exhibition  grounds  a  rigid  sanitary  inspection  will  be  maintained,  under  the  control  of  the 
Bureau  of  Medical  Service  ;  and  thus  a  guarantee  will  be  afforded  that  no  cause  of  infection  or  disease 
will  be  allowed  to  occur  through  neglect  of  this  important  duty. 
The  object  of  this  circular  has  been  to  call  attention  to  the  unusual  sanitary  advantages  of  Philadel- 
phia, and  to  the  preparations  which  have  been  made  to  insure  the  highest  possible  degree  of  healthfulness 
during  the  approaching  Exhibition  season.  It  is  proposed  to  issue  at  certain  intervals  other  circulars, 
announcing  in  an  official  and  accurate  manner  the  sanitary  condition  of  the  city,  so  that  entire  security 
may  be  felt  by  all  who  desire  to  visit  the  Centennial  International  Exhibition. 
jjth  April,  1876.  WILLIAM  PEPPER,  M.D.,  Medical  Director. 
Solution  of  Tartrate  of  Sodium  has,  to  some  extent,  replaced  the  citrate  of 
magnesium  as  a  laxative  medicine.  The  various  formulas  which  have  been  pub- 
lished direct  the  combination  of  tartaric  acid  with  crystallized  carbonate  of  sodium, 
a  salt  which,  on  exposure  to  the  air,  readily  parts  with  a  considerable  proportion  of 
its  water  of  crystallization,  and  is  therefore  with  difficulty  kept  of  a  uniform  com- 
position, unless  it  be  dehydrated.  In  view  of  this,  it  is  rather  surprising  that  the 
employment  of  the  more  stable  and  uniform  bicarbonate  of  sodium  has  not  been 
proposed  heretofore.  Mr.  H.  M.  Wilder  informs  us  that  he  has  made  the  solution 
for  some  time,  by  combining  sod.  bicarb,  £vss  with  acid,  tartar,  ^ivss,  using  four 
pints  of  water  for  dissolving  them.  Into  each  bottle  is  put  i£  fluidounces  of  simple 
syrup,  2  or  3  drops  of  spirit  of  lemon,  the  bottle  is  filled  with  the  solution  of  sodium 
tartrate,  after  which  45  grs.  of  crystallized  citric  acid  are  added,  and  the  bottle  corked. 
The  taste  of  this  solution  differs  from  that  of  magnesium  citrate,  and  appears  to 
be  more  acceptable  to  the  majority  of  patients,  while  in  laxative  effects  the  two  are 
probably  about  alike. 
American  Chemical  Society. — At  the  "  Centennial  of  Chemistry,"  celebrated 
by  a  number  of  American  chemists  at  Northumberland,  Pa.,  August  1st,  1874,  it 
was  proposed  to  form  a  national  chemical  society.  The  proposition  was  not  then 
favorably  entertained  \  the  establishment  of  a  chemical  section  in  connection  with 
the  American  Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Science,  appeared  to  the  ma- 
jority of  those  present  to  meet  all  necessities.  The  advantages  of  a  national  chemi- 
cal society,  however,  have  been  so  apparent  in  England,  France  and  Germany  that 
the  proposition  of  reveral  New  York  chemists  to  form  a  similar  society  in  this  coun- 
try met  with  such  a  hearty  response  from  all  sections  of  the  United  States,  that  dur- 
ing the  past  month  the  American  Chemical  Society  was  established  with  53  resi- 
dent (within  a  radius  of  thirty  miles  from  New  York)  and  80  non-resident  members. 
The  officers  for  the  current  year  are :  Prof.  J.  W.  Draper,  New  York,  President  ; 
j.  L.  Smith,  Kentucky,  F.  A.  Genth,  Pennsylvania,  E.  W.  Hilgard,  California, 
J.  W.  Mallet,  Virginia,  C.  F.  Chandler,  New  York,  and  Henry  Morton,  New 
Jersey,  Vice  Presidents  ;  George  F.  Barker,  Pennsylvania,  Corresponding  Secretary  ; 
Isidor  Walz,  New  York,  Recording  Secretary  ;  H.  M.  Habirshaw,  New  York, 
Treasurer,  and  P.  Casamajor,  New  York,  Librarian. 
The  objects  of  the  Society  are  the  encouragement  and  advancement  of  chemistry 
in  all  its  branches,  in  furtherance  of  which  monthly  meetings  will  be  held  in  the 
city  of  New  York  on  the  first  Thursday  of  every  month,  and  it  is  contemplated  to 
hold  one  meeting  in  each  year  outside  of  New  York  city,  at  such  a  time  and  in  such 
