AMERICAN  PHARMACEUTICAL  ASSOCIATION.  487 
Frederick  Stearns  read  extracts  from  a  long  and  interesting 
report  on  this  subject,  which  exhibits  that  Michigan  is  abun- 
dantly supplied  with  valuable  medicinal  plants.  The  paper  was 
referred  for  publication. 
Prof.  Joseph  Henry,  of  the  Smithsonian  Institute,  being  pre- 
sent, was  introduced  by  the  President,  and  made  some  highly 
interesting  remarks,  showing  the  manner  in  which  the  intentions 
of  Mr.  Smithson  were  being  carried  out  by  the  present  officers, 
and  intimated  that  this  Association,  being  in  harmony  with  those 
objects,  might  co-operate  usefully  in  reference  to  the  extending 
of  our  knowledge  of  medicinal  plants  and  substances. 
A  vote  of  thanks  was  tendered  to  Prof.  Henry  for  his  com- 
munication, and  for  the  polite  manner  in  which  he  had  facilitated 
the  meeting  of  the  Association  in  the  Institute  building. 
5.  Mustard.  "What  is  the  best  formula  for  a  permanent  liquid  prepara- 
tion of  white  or  black  mustard  seeds  that  may  be  used  as  a  substitute  for 
mustard  plasters. 
Edward  Parrish,  to  whom  this  question  was  referred,  was 
prevented  from  answering  it  by  his  unexpected  absence  in 
Europe,  and  the  subject  was  continued  to  him  another  year. 
6.  The  subject  of  coating  pills  with  sugar,  mucilage,  etc. 
referred  to  John  Canavan,  not  having  been  responded  to, 
Mr.  Canavan  requested  that  the  subject  be  continued  to  him 
another  year,  which  was  agreed  to. 
7.  Podophyllin  is  alleged  to  be  analogous  to  Jalapin  in  its  medicinal 
and  some  of  its  chemical  relations.  Question. — What  is  the  correct  chemi- 
cal history  of  Podophyllin,  as  regards  its  solubility  in  menstrua,  its  rela- 
tion to  the  alkalies  and  other  agents,  &c,  and  why  may  it  not  be  advan- 
tageously substituted  for  extract  of  jalap  in  compound  cathartic  pill, 
and  for  scammony  in  the  compound  extract  of  colocynth  ? 
Dr.  Stabler,  of  Alexandria,  to  whom  this  subject  was  referred, 
read  a  report,  which  was  accepted  and  ordered  to  be  published. 
8.  The  question  in  relation  to  the  origin  of  Southern  Prickly  Ash  Bark, 
and  the  relation  of  its  pungent  principle  to  that  of  Xanthoxylum  piperitum, 
&c,  being  called  up,  Mr.  Gordon  informed  the  meeting  that  Mr.  Wayne 
had  not  been  able  to  devote  himself  to  the  labor  allotted  to  him,  and,  on 
motion,  he  was  excused  from  further  attention  to  the  subject. 
9.    The  question   proposed   in   relation  to  the   influence  which 
