A%Ja°rch,^rm' }  Minutes  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting.  1 7 1 
thought,  however,  that  the  preparation  would  be  hot  enough  even  if  it  contained 
all  the  fat  present  in  the  seeds.  Respecting  the  rhizome  of  male-fern, as  prepared 
for  the  market  in  Europe,  Prof.  Maisch  said  that  it  was  sometimes  split  longi- 
tudinally to  facilitate  its  drying,  and  that  this  practice  was  objectionable  on 
account  of  the  exposure  of  a  large  surface  to  the  oxidizing  action  of  the  air, 
the  pale  green  color  of  the  fresh  rhizome  being  thus  rapidly  altered  to  brownish 
red. 
A  paper  upon  the  reaction  of  hydrogen  peroxide  upon  metallic  oxides,  was 
read  by  F.  X,  Moerk,  Ph.G.,  and  elicited  much  discussion. 
Mr.  Mclntyre  said  that  he  had  great  satisfaction  in  listening  to  the  reading  of 
the  paper,  which  had  taught  him  that  physicians  when  prescribing  remedies 
new  to  them,  and  of  which  they  knew  but  little,  had  better  leave  well  enough 
alone  and  not  mix  things,  which  may  produce  results  entirely  undesired.  Mr. 
Procter  said  the  paper  covered  a  very  extensive  field  in  a  very  thorough  man- 
ner, so  as  to  be  a  standard  reference* upon  the  subject. 
Prof.  Maisch  exhibited  a  rhizome  of  Maranta  arundinacea,  sent  to  him  from 
Bermuda,  by  Mr.  G.  H.  Summers,  of  Philadelphia.  This  specimen  was  dug 
about  the  first  of  the  year,  and  is  not  nearly  as  large  as  the  "  sticks,"  as  they 
are  called  by  the  growers,  usually  are  at  the  time  of  collection  in  April  or  May. 
Last  year's  crop  in  Bermuda  amounted  to  180,000  pounds,  yielding  about  12  per 
cent,  of  the  fecula,  of  which  only  a  small  proportion  is  shipped  to  the  United 
States,  mostly  to  Baltimore,  while  the  balance  is  sent  to  London.  Larger 
quantities  of  maranta  arrow-root  are  received  in  the  United  States  from  other 
localities.  Prof.  Maisch  had  also  received  from  Mr.  Summers  from  Jamaica 
and  exhibited  a  branch  with  leaves  and  fruit  of  Vanilla  planifolia,  so-called  from 
the  remarkable  flatness  of  the  leaf.  Another  variety  of  vanilla  was  exhibited, 
the  botanical  name  of  which  he  was  unable  to  ascertain  ;  it  differs  in  the  size 
and  character  of  the  leaf  and  fruit,  the  latter  being  short  and  of  a  straight 
growth,  while  the  officinal  vanilla  is  curved  at  its  base,  forming  a  hook.  In 
answer  to  a  question  he  stated  that  cultivated  vanilla  bean  is  much  finer  in 
flavor  and  odor  than  the  fruit  of  the  wild-growing  plant ;  these  qualities  are  in 
part  due  to  the  manner  of  "curing"  the  bean  ;  but  climatic  influence  must 
also  be  admitted,  as  the  same  plant  grown  in  the  island  of  Bourbon  is  of  a 
somewhat  different  flavor. 
Mr.  Beringer  exhibited  a  specimen  of  the  flowers  of  Acacia  Farnesiana,  a 
product  of  Florida,  used  in  perfumery,  under  the  name  of  cassie.  Professor 
Maisch  stated  that  last  spring  he  saw  the  plant  in  several  places  in  the 
Southern  States,  where  it  is  grown  for  ornament. 
Replying  to  several  inquiries,  Mr.  England  gave  the  following  formulas  : 
JViemeyer's  pills,  used  for  dropsical  affections  : — Each  pill  contains  one  grain 
each  of  powdered  digitalis,  powdered  squill  and  blue  mass. 
Phthisis  Pills. — Each  contains  one-sixth  of  a  grain  of  powdered  opium,  one 
grain  powdered  digitalis  and  one  grain  sulphate  of  quinine. 
Ancemia  pills. — Each  pill  contains  two  grains  each  of  potassium  carbonate 
and  exsiccated  sulphate  of  iron.    These  pills  are  very  similar  to  Blaud's  pills. 
The  subject  of  the  prevention  of  the  adulteration  of  food  and  drugs  by  the 
National  Government,  which  was  announced  for  discussion  at  this  meeting, 
was  postponed  in  consequence  of  the  lateness  of  the  hour,  and  a  motion  to 
adjourn  was  carried.  T.  S.  Wiegand,  Registrar. 
