446  Twenty-fourth  Annual  Meeting  of  the  { Am-jc°tujr i8p7h6arra- 
directly  opposite  to  his  opinion  before  investigating  it,  and  argued  in 
favor  of  retaining  absolute  quantities  by  weight  and  measure.  Several 
members  spoke  in  opposition  to  these  views,  and  cited  the  practice  of 
continental  Europe,  where  preparations  are  made  from  formulas  direct- 
ing parts  by  weight,  and  where  also  the  prescriptions  are  written  and 
■dispensed  by  weight  only.  It  was  suggested  that  the  question  be  con- 
tinued for  another  year. 
The  Auditing  Committee  reported  having  examined  the  Treasurer's 
books  and  finding  them  correct,  there  being  a  balance  in  his  hands 
amounting  to  §941.33. 
Mr.  Wellcome's  paper  "  On  damiana  "  (query  35)  gave  an  account 
of  the  different  herbs  that  have  been  used  under  this  name  ("Amer. 
Jour.  Phar.,"  1875,  p.  518  ;  1876,  p.  273). 
Dr.  Hoffmann  exhibited  a  pharmaceutical  microscope  made  by  Edw. 
Messter,  Berlin,  Germany,  and  imported  by  him  at  a  price  of  about  $15, 
gold.  Several  members  discussed  the  advantages  of  the  use  of  the  micro- 
scope by  the  pharmaceutical  student,  and  the  Committee  on  Queries 
was  requested  to  prepare  a  suitable  query  on  this  subject  for  investiga- 
tion. 
Mr.  Sharpies  read  a  paper  u  On  graduated  measures,"  in  which  he 
condemned  the  conical  graduate  as  an  instrument  of  precision,  and 
recommended  the  tumbler-shaped  graduate  for  general  use  ;  but  for 
accurate  work  the  burette,  pipette  or  flask  should  be  used  ;  also,  that 
each  person  should  at  least  make  a  rough  test  of  his  measures  before 
using  them,  and  not  rely  on  the  name  of  the  maker  alone. 
Prof.  Bedford  read  a  paper  by  E.  Gregory  "  On  emulsions"  (query  30). 
After  describing  his  experiments,  the  author  concludes  that  three 
drachms  of  acacia  in  fine  powder  are  necessary  to  emulsify  one  ounce 
of  any  of  the  volatile  oils,  and  that  a  little  less  (about  two  drachms) 
will  answer  for  the  fixed  oils  and  balsams  ;  that  to  this  quantity  of  gum 
four  drachms  and  a  half  of  water  must  be  added  (no  more  and  no  less), 
and  that  either  the  water  or  the  oil  may  be  added  first  to  the  gum  ;  but 
it  is  quickest  to  add  the  oil  first,  and  well  triturate  before  adding  the 
water.  Less  gum  can  be  made  to  yield  a  good  result  by  a  careful 
operator,  but  as  a  general  practical  working  rule  it  may  be  said  that 
three  drachms  are  necessary  for  one  ounce  of  oil. 
A  paper  by  Mr.  G.  A.  Zwick,  "On  medicine  wafers/' (query 40),  was 
