AmNov.?4trm"}  Minutes  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting.  595. 
ously  calculating  for  that  formula  42  19  per  cent,  iodine,  though  it  really 
requires  44 '87  per  cent. 
The  chloride,  obtained  by  agitating  a  water  solution  of  the  iodide  with 
freshly  precipitated  silver  chloride,  remains,  on  evaporating  the  solution,  as  a 
white  mass,  consisting  of  prismatic '  crystals  which  are  very  readily  soluble  in 
water.  By  adding  platinum  chloride  to  the  solution,  the  platinochloride  is 
obtained  as  fine  orange-colored,  quadrangular,  lustrous  laminae,  which  ■  are 
anhydrous  and  melt  near  2280.  Ladenburg  and  Roth  state  that  they  obtained  for 
this  salt  analytical  results  corresponding  with  the  formula  they  have  adopted  ; 
but  I  obtained  results  showing  its  formula  to  be  (CjHj  3N02,CH3)2,PtCl6. 
Bknzoyloscine. — It  was  of  interest  to  ascertain  whether  oscine  contains,  like 
tropine,  a  hydroxyl  group,  or  whether  the  second  atom  of  oxygen  must  be 
regarded  as  otherwise  combined.  For  that  purpose  a  mixture  of  the  base  with  an 
equal  weight  of  water  and  a  considerable  excess  of  benzoic  anhydride,  was  heated 
to  8o°  or  ioo°.  After  the  end  of  the  reaction  the  remaining  anhydride  was 
decomposed  with  water,  and  the  benzoic  acid  shaken  out  with  ether.  From 
the  residual  solution  the  base  was  separated  by  means  of  ammonia  and  chloro- 
form. The  chloroform  solution  gave  on  evaporation  a  colorless  residue,  which 
rapidly  crystallized  in  the  form  of  delicate  needles  melting  at  590.  Analysis 
showed  that  the  formula  of  the  base,  thus  obtained,  is  C15H17N04,  and  that  it 
corresponds  to  hyoscine  or  atropyloscine. 
Benzoyloscine  dissolves  readily  in  chloroform,  ether,  or  alcohol,  and  the 
alcoholic  solution  has  a  basic  reaction.  It  is  also  moderately  soluble  in  water* 
very  readily  in  acids;  it  is  precipitated  from  such  solutions  by  caustic  soda, 
and  when  they  are  not  too  dilute,  by  ammonia,  in  the  form  of  an  oily  liquid 
which  soon  becomes  crystalline. 
A  warm  solution  of  benzoyloscine  in  dilute  hydrochloric  acid  becomes  turbid 
on  addition  of  gold  chloride,  and  the  gold  salt  is  soon  deposited  in  the  form  of 
small,  yellow,  brilliant  needles.  After  drying  at  ioo°  the  salt  melts  at  1840. 
Analysis  indicates  its  composition  as  C15H17N04,  AuCl4H. 
[To  be  continued.} 
MINUTES  OF  THE  PHARMACEUTICAL  MEETING, 
Philadelphia,  October  18,  1892. 
The  first  of  the  present  series  of  pharmaceutical  meetings  was  held  this  day. 
On  motion  of  Professor  Trimble  Wm.  B.  Webb,  Ph.M.,  was  called  to  preside. 
The  reading  of  the  minutes  of  the  last  meeting  was  dispensed  with. 
Dr.  C.  B.  Iyowe  introduced  Mr.  Joseph  R.  Wilson,  who  exhibited  and  explained 
the  Shaw  gas  tester  and Inspector 's  instrument,  manufactured  in  this  city.  It 
consists  essentially  of  an  air  pump  which  thoroughly  mixes  gases  of  any  kind 
and  in  any  desired  proportion.  In  testing  gases  they  are  transferred  to  a 
cylinder,  and  those  which  are  dangerous  owing  to  their  explosive  properties, 
on  coming  in  contact  with  a  flame  explode  and  by  forcing  a  loosely  fitting 
piston  against  a  gong  give  audible  notice  that  the  mixture  is  such  as  to  be 
dangerous  to  those  exposed  to  it.  The  instrument  is  claimed  to  be  so  delicate 
that  the  presence  of  ToW  Part  of  explosive  gases  can  be  detected,  and  the 
percentage  of  fire  damp  and  choke  damp  may  be  accurately  determined. 
