Am'jii>y,r'i8>7h6arm'}  Minutes  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting.  331 
attend  the  Conference  of  Pharmaceutical  Colleges,  an  election  was  ordered.  Ed- 
ward C.  Jones  and  E.  M.  Boring  acting  as  tellers,  reported  the  following  gentlemen 
elected  as  delegates  to  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Association,  viz.  : 
Charles  Bullock,  Peter  Williamson,  Thos.  S.  Wiegand,  Samuel  F.  Troth,  Wm. 
J.  Jenks. 
Delegates  to  the  Pharmaceutical  Conference:  Professors  Robert  Bridges,  John 
M.  Maisch,  Joseph  P.  Remington.    Then,  on  motion,  adjourned. 
William  J.  Jenks,  Secretary. 
MINUTES  OF  THE  PHARMACEUTICAL  MEETING. 
A  meeting  for  social  and  scientific  purposes  in  continuance  of  the  regular  phar- 
maceutical meetings  was  held  June  20th,  1876,  James  T.  Shinn  in  the  chair.  The 
minutes  of  the  previous  meeting  were  read  and  approved.  Strangers  present  were 
invited  to  participate. 
Prof.  Maisch  donated  to  the  library  "  Ricerche  sperimentali  sulla  Solfatara  di 
Pozzuoli,  per  S.  Luca  "  and  ten  other  pamphlets  by  the  same  author,  which  were 
sent  by  him  with  the  specimens  donated  to  the  cabinet. 
From  J.  U.  Lloyd  a  specimen  of  a  yellow  neutral  crystallized  principle  obtained 
from  the  root  of  Eupatorium  Purpureum.  It  is  quite  soluble  in  hot,  slightly  so  in 
cold  alcohol,  and  insoluble  in  water  5  does  not  unite  with  dilute  acids,  is  decomposed 
by  stiong  sulphuric  acid,  is  tasteless  and  as  far  as  known  has  no  medicinal  value. 
Wallace  Procter  presented  a  specimen  of  oil  of  peppermint,  54  years  old. 
Prof.  Maisch  read  a  paper,  by  Charles  L.  Mitchell,  on  a  concentrated  solution  of 
salicylic  acid.    (See  page  305.) 
J.  T.  Shinn  observed  when  a  solution  was  made  with  equal  parts  of  borax  and 
salicylic  acid,  the  taste  was  very  bitter,  when,  however,  two  parts  of  borax  were  used 
this  was  not  the  case. 
Prof.  Maisch  believed  if  the  estimate  of  Prof.  Kolbe  and  others  as  to  the  virtues, 
of  salicylic  acid  are  to  be  of  value  to  physicians,  they  must  use  it  in  the  free  state 
as  this  is  the  only  way  in  which  it  is  effective  5  if  salts  are  employed  to  effect  a  more 
ready  solution,  some  chemical  change  is  most  probably  the  result.  (See  also  p.  330.) 
E.  M.  Boring  had  in  common  with  many  others,  had  trouble  with  prescriptions 
for  this  acid  from  physicians  laboring  under  the  error  in  regard  to  its  solubility  and 
the  probable  changes  produced  by  the  use  of  chemical  solvents.  Quite  recently 
water  of  ammonia  had  been  used  to  effect  the  solution  of  a  large  quantity  of  the 
acid  in  water  ;  this  was  only  another  instance  in  which  the  elegant  pharmacist  gave 
the  conscientious  dispenser  a  great  amount  of  trouble.  He  also  exhibited  honey 
which  had  been  obtained  by  himself  from  the  comb,  exposed  to  direct  sunlight ;  it 
became  candied  in  a  short  time,  whereas  a  portion  of  the  same  lot  in  diffused  light 
had  undergone  no  change.  He  had  also  examined  a  sample  of  yellow  wax  which 
had  the  concave  surface  said  to  be  characteristic  of  adulteration  with  paraffin,  yet 
upon  testing  with  sulphuric  acid  failed  to  find  any. 
Prof.  Maisch  exhibited  a  small  branch  of  a  plant  from  Oregon,  probably  a  Te- 
tranthera,  nat.  ord.  Lauraceae,  with  a  pellucid  punctate  leaf,  having  an  aromatic  ordor,, 
