^""■Noy'isyf      Pharmaceutical  Colleges  and  Associations,         52 j 
necessary  to  prolong  the  meetings  of  the  Conference.  A  rumor  of  the  attack  brought 
Mr.  Horsley  to  the  defence  later  in  the  day. 
"  In  a  report  on  the  phosphate  of  calcium  of  commerce,  Mr.  J.  E.  Brown  called 
attention  to  the  variable  nature  of  the  substance  sold  under  this  name  as  official,  but 
there  was  a  general  expression  of  opinion  that  with  so  variable  and  little  understood 
an  article  as  bone  ash  to  work  upon,  it- would  be  vain  to  expect  a  definite  product 
at  present. 
"A  paper  on  the  use  of  optical  analysis  in  pharmacy,  by  Mr.  Henry  Pockling- 
ton,  in  which  he  discussed  the  application  of  the  microscope,  polariscope  and  spec- 
troscope, followed,  and  was  supplemented  by  some  interesting  remarks  on  the  sub- 
ject from  Mr.  Stoddart.  Mr.  Pocklington's  optical  bent  was  also  manifested  in  a 
paper  on  Bastie's  toughened  glass,  and  he  stated  that  a  considerable  amount  of 
toughness  could  be  imparted  to  glass  by  heating  it  and  allowing  it  to  cool  between 
metal  plates. 
Mr.  Williams  gave  an  account  of  further  experiments  as  to  the  power  of  glycerin 
to  prevent  the  loss  of  strength  in  hydrocyanic  acid.  These  appear  to  have  been 
very  successful,  though  in  one  case  a  remarkable  change  took  place,  the  liquid  be- 
coming converted  into  a  solid  mass  of  paracyanogen. 
"  Then  followed  another  report  by  Dr.  Wright  on  New  Derivatives  from  the 
Opium  Alkaloids,  a  subject  that  seems  to  be  practically  inexhaustible.  The  read- 
ing of  papers  was  brought  to  a  close  by  one  on  commercial  compound  colocynth 
pill,  by  Mr.  W.  Laird. 
"  Finally,  it  was  decided  that  the  Conference  should  meet  next  year  in  Glasgow,, 
under  the  Presidency  of  Prof.  Redwood. 
"After  various  votes  of  thanks  were  passed  the  meeting  separated,  with  the  under- 
standing that  as  many  members  as  were  able  would  on  Friday  accompany  the  Local. 
Committee  on  an  excursion  to  the  Cheddar  cliffs." 
The  Austrian  Pharmaceutical  Association  held  its  second  annual  meeting 
in  Vienna,  September  7th,  Vice-President  Lusar  in  the  chair,  Dr.  Hellmann,  Secre- 
tary. The  proceedings  were  mainly  devoted  to  the  consideration  of  questions 
relating  to  pharmaceutical  education,  to  the  representation  of  pharmacists  in  san- 
itary boards,  &c.  Prof.  Tschermak,  of  Vienna ;  Dr.  H.  Hager,  of  Pulvermiihley 
and  Dr.  Th.  Peckolt,  of  Rio  de  Janeiro,  were  elected  honorary  members.  The 
officers  for  the  ensuing  year  are:  Gust.  Hell,  President  5  P.  R.  Stolzissi,  Secretary,, 
and  Ed.  Hackl,  Treasurer. 
The  General  Austrian  Apothecaries'  Society  held  its  fourteenth  annual 
meeting,  at  Vienna,  September  27th  to  28th,  Director  Schiffner  in  the  chair.  The 
first  session  was  mainly  occupied  by  the  annual  reports  of  the  Directory  and  Treas- 
urer. The  election  of  officers  at  the  second  session  resulted  in  the  choice  of  Dr. 
Schiffner  for  Director,  A.  v.  Waldheim  for  Vice-Director,  and  Mr.  Seipel  for 
Treasurer. 
German  Apothecaries'  Society. — The  fourth  annual  meeting  was  held,  in 
the  city  of  Hamburg,  August  7th  and  8th,  and  was  attended  by  286  members.  The: 
