Am.  Jour.  Pharni, 
April,  1875. 
\  Minutes  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting. 
179 
yet  the  practice  is  to  be  lauded.  However,  Dr.  Pile  had  found  that  there  was  a  ma- 
terial saving  in  preparing  many  chemicals,  but  that  there  are  some  that  can  be  bought 
from  the  large  manufacturer  at  a  less  cost.  Prof.  Maisch  thought  that  Mr.  Eberle 
had  based  his  opinion  partly  upon  the  fact  that  new  products,  of  which,  when  intro- 
duced, little  is  known  in  regard  to  the  best  processes  for  their  preparation,  after  dis- 
coveries in  this  direction,  generally  become  much  cheaper.  Dr.  Miller  instanced  a 
druggist  of  this  city  who  prepares  his  nitrate  of  silver  at  a  saving  to  himself.  He 
also  exhibited  an  adulterated  oil  of  Canada  Erigeron^  in  which  a  very  strong  terebin- 
thinate  odor  was  apparent. 
C.  L.  Eberle  presented  a  plant  from  the  Gape  of  Good  Hope,  most  probably  a 
Gnaphalium  or  allied  species. 
Prof.  Maisch  exhibited  a  sample  of  nearly  white  salicylic  acid,  which  had  been 
prepared  by  E.  Schering,  of  Berlin.  It  is  now  being  experimented  with  in 
Germany  and  other  places  as  an  antiseptic,  and  is  being  prescribed  internally  and  ex- 
ternally. It  seems  to  have  all  the  desirable  qualities  of  carbolic  acid  without  its 
objectionable  ones.  It  is  prepared  by  combining  pure  carbolic  acid  with  caustic  soda, 
and  treating  this  compound  with  dry  carbonic  acid  under  the  influence  of  a  gradually 
increased  heat,  when  one-half  of  the  carbolic  acid  distills  over,  while  the  other  half, 
into  the  molecule  of  which  carbonic  acid  enters,  remains  behind  as  salicylate  of 
sodium,  from  the  hot  aqueous  solution  of  which,  on  supersaturation  with  muriatic  acid, 
salicylic  acid  is  obtained  in  the  form  of  a  pale  brownish  powder,  requiring  some 
purification  to  obtain  it  white  or  nearly  so.  It  has  been  employed  for  preventing  or 
arresting  fermentation,  one  part  of  the  acid  to  from  5,000  to  20,000  parts  of  the  liquid 
being  sufficient;  it  has  been  used  for  the  dressing  of  wounds  and  recommended  inter- 
nally in  various  diseases,  regarded  as  contagious.  It  has  no  odor  and  its  solution  is 
destitute  of  caustic  properties  and  tasteless.  Its  antiseptic  properties  may  be  depended 
on  as  long  as  the  acid  is  in  its  free  state,  and  until  it  is  neutralized  by  the  ammonia 
gradually  generated  in  vegetable  infusions  5  this  may  explain  why  oil  of  gaultheria, 
which  is  methylsalicylic  acid,  does  not  prevent  fermentation  to  the  same  extent  as 
other  agents. 
Mr.  Heinitsh  :  Oil  of  gaultheria  Is  much  used  in  the  country  for  the  preservation  of 
cider,  and  it  seems  to  answer  a  good  purpose.  Mr.  Eberle  stated  that  oil  of  mus- 
ard  is  one  of  the  best  agents  for  this  purpose.  Mr.  Lemberger  attributed  this  prop- 
erty somewhat  to  the  sulphur  contained  in  it :  but  Prof.  Maisch  thought  that  this 
could  hardly  be  the  case,  since  it  was  present  as  allyl-sulphocyanide. 
Dr.  Miller  exhibited  so-called  magnolia  seed,  which  Prof.  Maisch  recognized  as 
the  seeds  of  Nigella  Damascena,  Lin.,  a  ranunculaceous  plant  of  Southern  Europe  j 
when  rubbed  they  have  a  very  agreeable  fruit  odor. 
Mr.  Gaillard  presented  a  cotton-root  bark  from  Sea  Island  cotton  gathered  in 
1870 — a  physician  had  experimented  with  it  and  tested  its  properties  as  an  emmena- 
gogue.  It  was  used  in  the  form  of  an  infusion  made  of  two  troy  ounces  to  one  pint 
of  water  and  in  seven  cases  out  of  eight  it  had  the  desired  effect. 
Prof.  Maisch  observed  that  the  bast-fibres  were  not  as  strong  as  usual,  and  was 
uncertain  if  it  was  a  peculiarity  of  this  variety,  or  due  to  age.  He  had  been  shown, 
recently,  by  a  firm  in  this  city,  a  genuine  cotton-root  bark,  which,  when  chewed, 
colored  the  saliva  green,  and  also  made  a  tincture  of  greenish-red  color. 
J.  A.  Schiedt  called  attention  to  a  factitious  hemlock  pitch,  which  is,  probably,  a 
