1 70  Minutes  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting.  { ^S;  Srm- 
R.  Br.,  Ammophila  arundinacea,//^.,  Salix  longifolia,  Muhl., with  very  silky 
leaves,  Silene  antirrhina,  Lin.,  Arctostaphylos  Uva-ursi,  Sprengel,  Potentilla 
arguta,  Pursh,  Panicum  scoparium,  Lam.,  the  introduced  Panicum  miliaceum, 
Lin  ,  Stipa  spartea,  Trin.,  the  porcupine  grass  (with  twisted  awns  up  to  6  inches 
long),  and  the  most  interesting  of  all,  Opuntia  Rafinesquii,  Engelm.  This 
yellow-flowered  member  of  the  cactus  family,  which  until  now  was  known  to 
grow  only  at  the  Atlantic  Ocean  and  near  the  Mississippi  River,  seems  to  be 
in  its  proper  place  here  also,  for  it  thrives  luxuriously,  forming  groups  up  to  6 
feet  in  diameter.  Dissimilar  from  its  relatives,  inhabitants  of  a  warmer  climate, 
it  lives  in  Northern  Ohio  where  in  winter  time  all  life  seems  to  be  extinct 
by  frost  ;  evidently  it  is  the  mild  climate  of  this  track  of  land  which  allows 
this  Opuntia  to  grow  here  and  to  survive  the  winter,  while  the  nearly  tropical 
heat  prevailing  in  summer  on  these  sand-fields  is  just  the  temperature  which 
it  likes  and  which  suits  it.  Notwithstanding  the  interest  which  the  botanist 
on  seeing  this  peculiar  plant,  shows  in  the  same,  he  approaches  it  slowly  and 
prudentby,  knowing  that,  in  consideration  of  the  many  short  bristles  and  the 
long  spines,  a  too  strong  contact  with  it  would  be  felt  painfully  by  him.  After 
having  secured  several  specimens,  he  cannot  stay  here  longer,  the  whistle  of 
the  steamer  reminds  him  to  return  home;  he  throws  one  more  look  at  the 
sand-dunes  on  the  lakeshore  side  at  the  Ammophila  arundinacea  and  the 
deformed  old  red  cedar  growing  on  them,  passes  big  specimens  of  Quercus 
imbricaria,  Michx.,  and  boards  the  steamer  soon  after. 
[To  be  continued.'] 
-MINUTES  OF  THE  PHARMACEUTICAL  MEETING. 
Philadelphia,  February  16,  1892. 
On  motion  of  Mr.  Webb,  Alonzo  Robbins,  Ph.M.,  was  called  to  the  Chair. 
Minutes  of  the  last  meeting  were  read,  and  no  corrections  being  required, 
they  were  approved. 
A  paper  upon  commercial  specimens  of  scammony  was  read  by  Horace  W. 
Umstead  of  the  present  senior  class,  who  also  exhibited  specimens  of  the  dif- 
ferent lots  examined. 
It  was  asked  by  one  of  the  members  present  whether  the  resins  obtained 
were  tested  for  the  presence  of  podophyllin,  as  the  tests  mentioned  would  not 
discriminate  between  jalap  resin  and  podophyllin. 
A  paper  on  codeine  sulphate  was  read  by  Joseph  W.  England,  Ph.G.  Mr. 
Procter  said  that  both  the  alkaloid  and  sulphate  were  largely  used,  and  Mr. 
Beringer  stated  that  the  alkaloid  was  used  largely  in  pills,  and  the  sulphate  in 
mixtures.  The  dose  was  inquired  about  and  it  was  said  to  be  given  in  doses  of 
eighth,  fourth  and  half-grains,  while  one  manufacturing  pharmacist  was  mak- 
ing one  grain  pills  ;  generally  the  dose  is  stated  as  being  about  twice  that  of 
morphine. 
A  paper  on  oleoresins,  by  G.  M.  Beringer,  Ph.G.,  was  read,  and  many  speci- 
mens of  these  preparations  were  exhibited  by  the  author.  Professor  Maisch 
said  that  the  quantity  of  fatty  matter  extracted  from  capsicum  by  the  various 
menstrua  depended  very  greatly  upon  the  presence  or  previous  removal  of  the 
seeds,  the  albumen  of  which  contains  notable  quantities  of  fatty  matter  ;  he 
