Amj^our-^Pharm.j     Miuutcs  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting. 
15T 
usual  in  preparing  this  ointment  took  place  when  made  in  this  way,  to 
which  Mr.  Thomson  replied  that  there  was  no  apparent  reaction  ;  but  Pro- 
fessor Maisch  had  been  informed  by  Mr.  Tilton  that  nitrous  vapors  were 
given  off,  though  from  the  amount  of  nitric  acid  used  for  dissolving  the 
mercury  he  should  judge  it  to  be  insufficient  for  oxydizing  all  the  camphor  to 
camphoric  acid. 
Professor  Maisch  read  a  note  upon  the  preparation  of  tincture  of  iodine  by 
Mr.  Frederick  C.  Lehman,  of  the  present  class  (see  page  145)  ;  he  effects  the 
solution  readily  without  trituration  by  adding  a  small  quantity  of  chloride 
of  sodium  to  the  mixture.  Professor  Maisch  stated  that  the  solvent  action 
of  alkaline  chlorides  upon  iodine  in  water  was  well  known,  and  it  might 
be  presumed  that  a  similar  effect  would  be  produced  in  presence  of  alcohol ; 
but  considering  the  slight  solubility  of  sodium  chloride  in  strong  alcohol, 
he  thought  it  remarkable  that  such  a  quick  effect  be  produced  as  described 
in  the  note. 
Professor  Maisch  exhibited  a  specimen  of  syrupus  rubi  idoei,  which  was 
sent  to  him  last  July  by  a  former  pupil  of  the  college,  Mr.  Herman  Tiarks, 
of  Monticello,  la.,  and  was  then  two  years  old.  It  had  been  made  by  the 
process  of  the  German  Pharmacopoeia,  and  has  remained  unaltered  to  the 
present  time.  The  same  process  was  adopted  by  the  new  U.  S.  Pharma- 
copoeia, and  was  criticised  by  Professor  Maisch  as  being  entirely  unsuited 
for  our  climate,  since  vinegar  would  be  produced  in  the  time  directed  for 
fermentation  ;  the  liquid  should  be  expressed  as  soon  as  the  si;gar  had  been 
converted  into  alcohol  and  the  pectin  compounds  precipitated. 
Mr.  Blair  said  that  in  his  experience  it  was  sufficient  to  keep  the  mashed 
berries  over  night,  when  they  would  be  ready  for  expressing  and  finishing^ 
the  syrup. 
Mr.  Boring  thought  that  fermentation  of  raspberries  altered  the  flavor  of 
the  syrup,  and  that  the  un  fermented  raspberry  juice  yielded  a  better-flavored 
syrup. 
Dr.  Wolff  could  speak  from  experience  that  the  time  allowed  by  the 
Pharmacopoeia  would  result  not  only  in  vinous,  but  also  in  acetic  fermen-^ 
tation,  on  account  of  the  high  summer  temperature ;  if  the  fermentation 
was  watched  and  as  soon  as  completed,  the  juice  was  expressed  and  the 
sugar  dissolved  in  it,  a  well-flavored  and  staple  raspberry  syrup  would  be 
obtained. 
Professor  Maisch  read  a  continuation  of  the  paper  u\)on  fluid  extracts  by  * 
Mr.  Alonzo  Bobbins  (see  page  120),  for  which  the  thanks  of  the  college  were 
tendered  to  the  author.    It  was  too  late  to  discuss  some  of  the  interesting 
points  mentioned  in  this  paper. 
Mr.  Thompson  thought  that  it  would  tend  to  secure  greater  good  if  a 
committee  was  appointed  to  report  on  the  various  papers  read,  and  on  mo- 
tion the  chair  appointed  Messrs.  Wm.  B.  Thomj^son,  Wallace  Procter,  C.  A. 
Heinitsh,  and  Dr.  L.  Wolff,  as  a  committee  to  investigate  the  questions  rela- 
tive to  the  tincture  of  iodine  and  the  formula  for  ung.  hydrarg.  nitratis. 
The  meeting  then  adjourned. 
J.  S.  WiEGAND,  Registrar, 
