AmbJe0c^'i8P76^m'}  Pharmaceutical  Colleges  and  Associations.  571 
superiority  of  india  rubber  was  claimed  by  Mr.  Gerrard  over  gutta  percha  for  this 
purpose. 
Mr.  Holmes  exhibited  a  specimen  of  a  more  translucent  benzoin,  which  yielded, 
by  sublimation,  beautifully  white  benzoic  acid,  and  was  said  to  come  from 
Zanzibar ;  it  was  considered,  by  Prof.  Bentley,  to  resemble  most  nearly  Pereira's 
translucent  Siamese  benzoin,  which  Dr.  Royle  conjectured  to  be  derived  from  Styrax 
Finlaysonianum.  The  great  peculiarity  of  the  specimen  exhibited  was  the  translu- 
cency  of  the  white  tears,  which  are  generally  opaque. 
A  specimen  of  olibanum,  with  some  of  the  papery  bark  adhering,  was  also- 
exhibited.  It  was  the  variety  called  by  the  natives,  Lufran  matti,  was  derived  from 
Bosnvellia  Frereana,  Birdw.,  and  distinguished  from  other  varieties  by  a  peculiar 
whitish  efflorescence  on  the  surface  and  stratified  opaque  layers  in  its  interior. 
Professor  Bentley  called  attention  to  the  blue  fluorescence  shown  by  water 
in  which  galbanum  had  been  macerated  for  an  hour  or  two,  and  to  which  a  drop 
of  ammonia  was  then  added.  Asafcetida  would  cause  a  similar  fluorescence,  but 
not  to  the  same  extent  ,•  and  with  ammoniacum  it  was  scarcely  observable.  The 
fluorescence  is  due  to  the  presence  of  umbelliferon  in  the  gum  resins. 
Pharmaceutical  Society  of  Paris. — At  the  meeting  held  October  4th,  the 
death  of  Mr.  Gobley  was  announced  (see  page  576). 
Dr.  Jaillard  exhibited  a  sample  of  adulterated  sulphate  of  quinia  which  had 
recently  been  sent  to  Algiers,  the  adulteration  consisting  of  about  70  per  cent,  of 
potassium  nitrate.  It  is  not  observable  to  the  eye,  but  on  heating  a  portion, 
deflagration  takes  place  and  a  white  ash  is  left. 
Mr.  Yvon  reported  on  researches  on  Xanthium  spinosum  (see  page  538),  and 
stated  experiments  made  with  the  view  of  determining  its  alleged  prophylactic 
action  in  hydrophobia,  had  given  decidedly  negative  results. 
The  General  Belgian  Pharmaceutical  Association  has  remonstrated  with 
the  government  against  the  granting  of  pharmaceutical  degrees  by  universities  at 
which  no  pharmacists  are  acting  either  as  professors  or  examiners,  and  has,  at  the 
same  time,  petitioned  for  the  establishment  of  a  pharmaceutical  school,  which,  like 
in  other  countries,  should  be  under  the  control  of  pharmacists. 
Swiss  Apothecaries1  Association. — The  Thirty-second  Annual  Meeting  was 
held  at  Neuchatel,  August  24th  and  25th,  Prof.  E.  Schaer,  President,  in  the  chair. 
Besides  the  interesting  address  of  the  President,  the  usual  routine  business  and  the 
consideration  of  some  local  affairs,  the  following  subjects  claimed  the  attention  of 
the  meeting:  Assaying  of  milk  by  various  methods;  a  new  apparatus  for  sealing 
wafer  capsules,  patented  by  Digne,  of  Marseille ;  Leube's  Creosozon,  the  mineral 
water  of  Noivaigne,  and  a  number  of  new  and  rare  drugs,  exhibited  by  Prof. 
Schaer.  The  so-called  creosozon  is  a  mixture  of  from  1  to  3  parts  of  sulphuric 
acid  with  100  of  water,  and  has  been  recommended  for  the  preservation  of  animal 
