608 
PROCEEDINGS  OE  THE 
Professor  Aiken  exhibited  a  variety  of  specimens  collected 
during  his  professional  duties,  and  directed  attention  specially 
to  samples  of  arrow  root  from  Bermuda  and  St.  Vincent  respec- 
tively, the  former  invoiced  at  40  cents,  the  latter  at  6  cents  per 
lb.,  paying  an  ad  valorem  duty.  He  was  of  the  opinion  that 
this  difference  of  over  500  per  cent,  in  the  duty  charged  was  not 
in  proportion  to  their  value,  and  thought  it  should  be  remedied 
by  marking  up  the  latter. 
On  motion  of  C.  B.  Guthrie,  a  vote  of  thanks  was  tendered  to 
Professor  Aiken  for  his  paper,  and  a  copy  requested  for  publica- 
tion in  the  proceedings,  which  was  acceded  to. 
A  paper  on  Beth-root  (Trillium  pendulum)  and  its  products, 
was  read  by  Edward  S.  Wayne. 
The  same  gentleman  read  a  paper  on  Sanguinaria  canadensis, 
and  on  sanguinarina  and  other  products  from  that  plant,  which 
possessed  considerable  interest.  Both  of  these  subjects  were  well 
illustrated  with  specimens. 
Frederick  L.  John,  of  Philadelphia,  offered  some  verbal 
remarks  on  a  curious  phenomenon  that  had  recently  occurred 
in  his  laboratory.  Having  occasion  to  re-distil  about  fifty  pounds 
of  colorless  nitric  acid,  he  placed  it  in  his  retort,  and  after  the 
operation  was  partially  effected,  he  observed  violet  vapors  in  the 
retort,  and  a  sublimate  of  blackish  granular  crystals,  which  on 
subsequent  examination  proved  to  be  iodine.  Mr.  John  believes 
that  the  source  of  the  iodine  was  the  nitrate  of  soda  used  in 
making  the  acid  originally,  but  he  was  at  a  loss  to  determine  in 
what  condition  it  existed  in  the  colorless  acid,  and  the  cause  of 
its  subsequent  evolution  during  the  process. 
Then  adjourned  to  4  o'clock  this  afternoon. 
Afternoon  Session — Sept.  11th,  1856. 
The  meeting  having  been  called  to  order  by  the  President, 
the  reading  of  the  minutes  of  the  previous  meeting  was  dispensed 
with,  in  view  of  their  general  reading  at  the  close  of  the  meeting. 
The  following  gentlemen,  proposed  as  honorary  members  by 
the  Executive  Committee,  were  elected  by  ballot,  viz  :  Daniel 
B.  Smith,  now  of  Germantown,  late  President  of  the  Philadel- 
phia College  of  Pharmacy;  Thomas  Farrington,  Esq.,  of  Boston, 
