2  8o         Minutes  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting, 
Publication  Connnittee — John  M.  Maisch,  Henry  N.  Rittenhouse,  Thomas  S.  Wiegand,  James  T. 
Shinn,  Charles  Bullock. 
Sinking  Fund  Committee — Thomas  S.  Wiegand,  T.  Morris  Perot,  James  T,  Shinn. 
Editor — John  M.  Maisch. 
Librarian — Thomas  S.  Wiegand. 
Oi;r«i?cir— Joseph  P.  Remington. 
There  being  no  further  business,  on  motion,  adjourned. 
William  J.  Jenks,  Secretary. 
MINUTES  OF  THE  PHApACEUTlCAL  MEETING, 
Philadelphia,  April  20th,  1880- 
The  meeting  was  called  to.  order  by  asking  Mr.  W.  B,  Thompson  to  preside  5 
the  minutes  of  the  last  meeting  having  been  read,  were,  on  motion,  approved. 
Donations  to  the  cabinet  and  library  being  the  first  business  in  order.  Prof.  Maisch 
presented  a  copy  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Association 
for  1879.  Dr.  Chas.  L.  Mitchell  presented  a  specimen  of  what  is  sometimes  known 
in  commerce  as  gum-hogg,  it  being  used  by  paper  stainers  in  making  what  is  called 
marble  paper.    The  thanks  of  the  meeting  were  tendered  to  the  donors  for  them. 
Dr.  Mitchell  read  a  paper  upon  gum-hogg  (see  page  250).  This  elicited  some 
remarks  descriptive  of  various  kinds  of  gum,  and  particularly  tragacanth  of  low 
grades  with  which,  in  Prof.  Maisch's  opinion,  this  so-called  gum-hogg  is  identical. 
The  Registrar  read  a  short  note  on  spiritus  ammonia  aromaticus,  from  W.  S. 
Piumer,  Jr.,  Ph.G.,  as  follows  : 
"In  preparing  spiritus  ammonias  aromaticus  there  is  frequently  a  heavy  precipitate  5 
some  of  the  text  books  state  that  it  is  due  to  the  insolubility  of  carbamate  of 
ammonium,  generally  found  in  commercial  carbonate,  in  the  alcohol.  My  plan  in 
making  this  preparation  is  to  dissolVe  the  carbonate  of  ammonium  in  the  water  o 
ammonia  and  water,  and  allow  it  to  stand  for  at  least  a  week  in  a  closely  stoppered 
bottle  j  then  having  made  a  solution  of  the  oils  in  the  alcohol,  add  the  ammonia 
solution  to  the  solution  of  the  oils  quickly  5  if  this  is  done  there  will  be  no  precipi- 
tate whatever."" 
A  paper  upon  ethyl  bromide  was  read  by  Dr.  L.  Woljf,  and  is  published  upon  page 
241.  The  fatal  case  in  which  the  ethyl  bromide  had  been  employed,  mentioned  in 
Dr.  Wollfs  paper,  was  discussed,  after  which  Prof.  Remington  read  a  paper  upon 
the  same  subject  (see  page  248).  The  papers  read  were  referred  to  the  publication 
committee,  and  the  thanks  of  the  meeting  were  tendered  to  the  gentlemen  for  their 
very  interesting  communications. 
Prof.  Remington  exhibited  a  little  card  giving  the  three  metrical  units  employed 
by  pharmacists,  viz.:  those  of  length,  capacity,  and  weight.  The  card  is  a  square, 
having  for  its  side  one  decimeter,  or  one-tenth  the  unit  of  measure  of  length,  the 
meter;  a  cube  of  the  decimeter  gives  the  unit  of  capacity,  or  liter;  a  cube  with  sides 
measuring  one-tenth  of  a  decimeter  being  a  cubic  centimeter,  filled  with  distilled 
water,  gives  the  unit  of  weight  one  gram  ;  the  card  itself  weigh  snearly  five  grams  ; 
upon  the  reverse  of  the  card  is  a  device  to  assist  those  not  familiar  with  the  divisions 
and  increments  of  the  system  to  remember  them. 
