As^ptJe°mbe?hia8r9^"}  American  Pharmaceutical  Association.  487 
Arbutra. — The  samples  of  this  drug  consist  of  billets,  about  \]/z  inches  in 
diameter  and  several  feet  in  length,  of  a  tough,  fibrous  wood,  having  a  very 
characteristic  cross-section  not  unlike  pareira  brava.  The  wood  beneath  the 
bark  is  of  a  uniform  yellow  color.  Upon  extracting  with  acidulated  alcohol, 
and  applying  the  general  reagents,  the  solution  gave  heavy  precipitates  for 
alkaloids. 
From  the  fact  that  it  colored  the  chloroform  yellow  when  shaken  out  from 
the  water  solution  led  to  the  belief  that  the  alkaloid  was  berberine,  and  by 
carefully  conducted  tests  this  was  verified.  It  responded  to  all  tests  for  that 
alkaloid,  and  the  authors  were  able  to  produce  the  hydrochloride  under  the 
microscope. 
As  to  whether  a  white  alkaloid  is  present,  as  in  many  other  berberine-bear- 
ing  plants,  the  authors  were  unable  to  say.  The  limited  quantity  of  material 
and  small  percentage  of  alkaloid  present  was  insufficient  to  attempt  a  separa- 
tion. The  amount  of  berberine,  or  total  alkaloid,  if  another  be  present,  was 
one-tenth  of  1  per  cent. 
THE  RELATION  OF  THE  PHYSIOLOGICAL  ACTION  OF  THE  ELE- 
MENTS TO  THEIR  POSITION  IN  THE  PERIODIC  SYSTEM. 
By  Prof.  Beal. 
WHAT  PERCENTAGE  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  PHARMACOPCEIAL 
PEPSINS  OF  THE  MARKET  COME  UP  TO  THE 
PHARMACOPCEIAL  REQUIREMENTS  ? 
By  C.  C.  Sherrard  and  J.  L.  Tegarden, 
Of  the  ten  samples  claiming  to  have  a  digestive  power  of  1  to  3,000,  only  two 
were  found  to  substantiate  this  claim,  and  of  these  the  authors  found  but 
one  to  meet  their  private  ideas.  Just  what  value  this  answer  to  the  query 
possessed  each  member  thought  to  decide  for  himself.  The  following  papers 
were  then  read  by  title,  and  together  with  those  previously  presented,  were 
referred  to  the  Publication  Committee. 
CHINQUAPIN  (Castanea  Pumila,  Mill.). 
By  Henry  Kraemer. 
(Printed  in  full  on  p.  453  of  this  issue). 
THE  COFFEE  BEAN  AND  A  PROXIMATE  ANALYSIS  OF  THE 
PULP. 
By  Robert  Combs. 
ANALYSIS  OF  CUCURBITA  FCETIDISSIMA  AND  IPOMCEA  LEPTO- 
PHYLLA. 
By  W.  H.  Laxg. 
AN  ESSAY  ON  THE  SPLEEN  AS  A  DIGESTIYE  ORGAN. 
By  R.  E  Stuart. 
The  last  three  papers  were  presented  by  Prof.  Sayre. 
The  section  then  adjourned  until  7.30  p.m.,  at  which  hour  Chairman  Dohuie 
called  the  third  session  to  order. 
The  first  paper  presented  at  this  session  was  one  on 
THE  ASSAY  OF  ERGOT. 
By  A.  R.  L.  Dohme. 
Mr.  Dohme  submitted  this  in  answer  to  query  17,  "  Give  the  relative  alka- 
loidal  value,  i.  e.,  percentage  of  the  corn  u  tine  of  Keller,  of  Spanish ,  German 
