448  American  Pharmaceutical  Association.  {AmAu|^imrm' 
Among  the  resolutions  passed  by  the  Section  were  the  following  : 
That  all  manufacturers  of  medicinal  preparations  be  requested  to  devise 
simple  methods  of  marking  all  packages  for  retail  use  so  as  to  facilitate  deter- 
mining the  source  of  supply  of  such  goods. 
That  the  Association  urge  thorough  local  organization  in  every  centre  for 
the  purpose  of  supporting  the  A.  P.  A.  plan  ;  also, 
That  it  be  requested  that  the  proceedings  of  the  commercial  Section  be 
specially  printed  as  soon  as  possible  in  pamphlet  form,  and  be  sent  to  every 
member  of  the  Association. 
The  Section  re-elected  its  officers  for  the  ensuing  year  :  W.  H.  Torbert, 
chairman,  and  A.  Bassett,  secretary,  and  added  Messrs.  C.  O.  Rano  and  G.  L. 
Hechler  as  members  of  the  committee. 
The  Section  on  Scientific  Papers  held  three  sessions  on  Saturday,  July  23,  Prof. 
Hallberg  in  the  chair  ;  in  the  absence  of  Secretary  Snow,  Professor  Fennel 
acted  in  that  capacity.    The  following  papers  were  read  : 
Chemical  Symbols. — W.  W.  Kerr,  Batesville,  Ark.,  suggested  that  in  addi- 
tion to  the  names  of  chemicals  also  the  chemical  formulas  be  placed  upon  the 
labels  of  the  containers. 
Examination  of  the  Amy  I  Nitrite  of  Pharmacy. — Prof.  Curtman  read  an 
elaborate  paper  on  this  subject,  exhibited  the  apparatus  and  showed  the  prac- 
tical working  of  the  process,  which  is  an  adaptation  of  that  devised  by  Allen 
for  spirit  of  nitrous  ether,  while  the  instrument  is  a  modification  of  Lunge's 
nitrometer.  The  method  is  based  upon  the  conversion  of  amyl  nitrite,  by  the 
addition  of  potassium  iodide  and  sulphuric  acid,  into  amyl  alcohol,  potassium 
bisulphate,  free  iodine  and  nitric  oxide  (NO  or  N202),  one  molecule  (11678 
gm.)  of  amyl  nitrite  yielding  one  molecule  (29*97  gm.  —  22321-2052  cc.)  of 
nitric  oxide  gas  ;  or  0*5231797  gm.  of  the  former  yield  100  cc.  of  NO.  The 
analysis  is  made  by  filling  the  nitrometer,  including  the  bore  of  the  stopcock  at 
the  top,  with  a  saturated  aqueous  solution  of  sodium  chloride  ;  0*523  gm.  of 
the  amyl  nitrite  diluted  with  about  5  cc.  of  alcohol,  is  now  added  through  the 
stopcock  with  the  precaution  of  not  admitting  any  air,  and  of  washing  down 
the  last  portions  of  the  nitrite  with  a  few  cc.  of  the  salt  solution.  The  reagents 
are  used  in  the  strength  of  normal  volumetric  solutions,  10  cc.  of  KI  solution 
being  introduced  first,  followed  by  10  cc.  of  normal  H2S04.  A  strong  effer- 
vescence takes  place,  but  the  reagents  being  specifically  lighter  than  the  salt 
solution,  some  agitation  is  necessary  to  complete  the  reaction  which  is  usually 
accomplished  in  about  five  minutes.  The  nitrometer  tube  being  connected 
by  means  of  a  rubber  tube,  with  an  open  equilibrium  tube,  the  latter  is  now 
lowered  until  the  liquid  in  it  is  about  3*3  cc.  lower  than  that  in  the  measuring 
tube,  when  the  number  of  cc.  of  NO  gas  is  read  off  and  noted.  The  correction 
for  temperature  must  be  made  by  dividing  the  number  of  cc.  by  the  volume  in 
cc,  to  which  1  cc.  of  NO,  measured  at  o°  C,  will  expand  at  the  temperature 
prevailing  at  the  time  of  making  the  experiment  (the  increase  for  each  degree 
C.  =  0*03663  cc);  the  correction  for  pressure  is  made  by  multiplying  with  the 
present  pressure  in  mm.,  and  dividing  by  760  mm.,  the  normal  pressure — or  by 
multiplying  with  the  present  pressure  in  inches  and  dividing  by  30.  The  num- 
ber of  cc,  thus  corrected,  gives  the  percentage  of  amyl  nitrite  in  the  specimen. 
Examining  fifteen  samples  by  this  method,  four  were  found  to  contain 
between  27*14  and  39*60  per  cent.,  one  59*33  per  cent.,  three  over  60  per  cent., 
