106  Minutes  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting.  {"^'"/er'^iS?'^™' 
C.  Barton,  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania.  On  motion,  the  thanks  of 
the  College  were  returned  to  Mr.  Blair  for  this  donation. 
Dr.  Seller  then  delivered  an  address  on  nose  and  mouth  breathing ^  com- 
mencing by  explaining  the  anatomy  of  the  nose  and  proper  passages  for 
breathing.  The  means  of  controlling  or  removing  the  hypertrophies  which 
produce  obstructions  preventing  nose-breathing  were  explained.  This  i& 
effected  by  means  of  the  galvanic  battery  heating  a  platinum  wire  to  a  dull^ 
cherry-red  heat  when  they  are  in  the  anterior  fossa ;  but  when  they  are  in 
the  posterior  fossa  they  are  removed  by  a  snare  of  steel  wire  passed  through 
a  tube  and  tightened  upon  the  polypus  until  it  is  cut  off,  and  by  burning 
the  root  or  base  by  means  of  a  j^latinum  wire  heated  by  the  battery,  which 
prevents  its  growing  again.  To  keej:*  the  air  passages  through  the  nose 
clear,  a  solution  of  common  salt,  fifty-six  grains  to  the  pint  of  water,  about 
the  temperature  of  the  blood,  is  applied  by  a  nasal  douche,  or  by  snuffing  it 
up  from  the  hand.  Sometimes  a  solution  capable  of  softening  the  crusts  of 
hardened  matter  in  the  nostrils  is  required,  when  DoheWs  solution^  consist- 
ing of  bicarbonate  of  sodium  31,  borate  of  sodium  ^i,  carbolic  acid  ^ss,  of 
glycerin  .^ss,  and  two  pints  of  water,  is  found  best  adapted  to  this  purpose. 
The  subject  was  well  illustrated  by  large  colored  plates  and  diagrams,  and 
l)y  exhibiting  and  explaining  the  various  instruments  used  in  the  surgical 
treatment  of  hypertrophies. 
Mr.  Wm.  B.  Thompson  moved,  that  the  Chair,  on  behalf  of  the  meeting, 
tender  our  thanks  to  Dr.  C.  Seller  for  his  very  interesting  and  instructive 
lecture. 
Dr.  Miller  thought  that  the  eminently  practical  character  of  Dr.  Seller's 
remarks  made  them  worthy  of  the  attention  of  all  present. 
The  Actuary  was  directed  to  advertise  the  lecture  for  the  next  pharma- 
ceutical meeting,  and  invite  the  ladies  of  the  members,  as  well  as  the  drug- 
gists generally. 
Prof.  Maisch  read  a  paper,  by  Mr.  Alonzo  Bobbins  ^see  page  65),  on  the 
Fddd  Extracts  of  the  New  Pharmacopoeia^  and  Mr.  Bobbins  was  requested 
to  continue  his  paper  on  the  history  of  the  fluid  extracts;  the  paper  was- 
referred  to  the  Publishing  Committee,  and  the  thanks  of  the  meeting  were 
tendered  to  the  author. 
Mr.  Wm.  B.  Thompson  read  a  paper  on  Prescription  Scales  and  Weights 
(see  page  14),  which  was  referred  to  the  Publishing  Committee. 
Mr.  W.  C.  Franciscus,  a  member  of  the  present  senior  class,  exhibited  an 
ai)i)aratus  for  gelatin-coating  pills,  adapted  to  the  wants  of  the  apothecary. 
It  consists  of  a  water-bath  suitable  for  keeping  the  solution  of  gelatin  in  a 
tray  with  24  heinispherical  cavities,  in  which  the  pills  are  thrown,  and  a 
rod  bearing  24  needles,  guided  by  two  brass  rods,  which  enables  the  opera- 
tor to  take  up  all  the  pills  at  once,  and  after  immersion  in  the  gelatin  solu- 
tion to  remove  them;  the  rod  being  secured  to  a  pin,  upon  which  it 
is  free  to  revolve,  is  then  rotated  rapidly,  which  motion  dries  the  pills  in  a 
short  time.  A  piece  of  metal  with  twenty -four  slots  in  it  suffices  to  remove 
the  pills  at  a  single  motion  of  the  hand,  and  they  fall  into  the  receiving 
tray.    On  motion,  adjourned. 
T.  S.  WiEGAND,  Registrar. 
