same meeting, deals with two species of vesicating beetles from South Africa, one of which is poorer and the other much richer in cantharidin than Cantharis vesicatoria. In another place the same author, in conjunction with E. H. Farr, describes a suspicious sample of cantharides which, upon examination, proved to have been exhausted.

A recent chemical investigation of Lobelia inflata by J. U. and C. G. Lloyd confirms the statement of von Rosen, as to the presence of two alkaloids in the seed; but the properties of the bases isolated by them differ somewhat from those previously described. E. Jahns reports that he has separated from Indian hemp a base which he has identified as choline, and points out that this result corresponds fairly well with the statements of some previous workers. The pharmacognosy and chemistry of Strophanthus is dealt with in two papers by W. Elborne, the contents of which, however, cannot be intelligibly summarized in the short space at our disposal in this place. Physiological experiments with various preparations of this drug lead H. D. Rolleston to the conclusion that the ethereal extracts contain some of the active principle upon which the potency of the alcoholic tincture depends. Attempts made by B. H. Paul to detect caffeine in the leaves of Catha edulis have proved unsuccessful; and the nature of the constituent to which this plant owes its stimulating properties remains still an open question. A further contradiction is given by C. J. Rademaker to the statement by H. Trimble and H. J. Schuchard, that the principle isolated by him from Polygonum hydropiper, and described under the name of polygonic acid, was a mixture of tannic and gallic acids. E. Schmidt shows that sumbul root does not contain angelic acid, as hitherto assumed, but that this acid is a decomposition-product of another substance pre-existing in the root. A preliminary investigation of Mackay beans, the seed of Entada scandens, by J. Moss, leads to the inference that they probably contain saponin. A recent examination of asafoetida by E. Schmidt reveals the curious fact that vanillin is one of the normal constituents of this gum-resin.

The assay of ipecacuanha root forms the subject of a communication to the British Pharmaceutical Conference by F. Ransom, and has for its leading feature the use of ammoniated chloroform as a menstruum for percolation. Further reports on the assay of opium are published by Braithwaite and Farr, C. M. Stillwell, V. Venturini, O. Schlickum, H. Adrian and E. Gallois, E. Dieterich and C. Bullock.

The idea of standardizing pharmaceutical preparations contain. ing powerful alkaloids has been extended by W. R. Dunstan and F. Ransom to the preparations of Atropa Belladonna. They recommend a process for the assay of these preparations, and give directions for preparing an extract containing two per cent., a liniment containing 0.2, and a tincture containing 0.034 per cent. of total alkaloids. A. C. Abraham has critically examined the official process for the preparation of fluid extract of cinchona bark, and arrives at the conclusion that, in order to obtain an extract representing as far as possible the bark from which it is made in an unaltered state, the latter should first be fully exhausted with water, and the residue then extracted with the acid menstruum. He considers boiling water preferable to cold, and states that the acid menstruum should be at least double the strength of that ordered by the Pharmacopoeia. A report on medicinal extracts in general, by F. J. Lammer, gives the average yield of the finished products prepared in accordance with the directions of the U. S. Pharmacopoeia. R. A. Cripps deals with the infusions of the British Pharmacopoeia, and publishes tables showing the alterations in the present mode of their preparation as compared with the directions of the Pharmacopoeia of 1867, as well as the influence of these alterations on the products. A good deal of attention has recently been devoted to the preparation of tincture of strophanthus. W. Martindale pleads in favour of a weaker tincture (1 in 20) than that obtained by Prof. Fraser's formula, and thinks that the seeds alone should be used, and should be first freed from their oil. These views are concurred in by J. Moss, and have also been adopted by Prof. Fraser himself, who has altered his original directions accordingly. Another modification of the formula for this tincture is suggested by W. Elborne, in his paper on strophanthus and strophanthin already referred to. H. Helbing calls attention to the difficulty of effecting a complete exhaustion of the seeds in the preparation of this tincture, and observes that the white strophanthus seeds yield a tincture similar in nature and colour to that from Kombé seeds.

The results of an examination of a number of samples of aromatic spirit of ammonia lead A. C. Abraham to infer that, although the official process is capable of giving very constant results, such results are not attained by first-class houses, from which most of the samples examined had been obtained. The use of Allen's nitrometer in the estimation of carbonate of ammonia in this spirit is advocated by E. D. Gravill.

In a note on Liquor Strychniæ, B. P., E. H. Farr draws attention to the liability of this preparation to deposit crystals of hydrochlorate of strychnine, if exposed to a low temperature, and thus to lose in strength.

Further suggestions respecting the mode of preparing Blaud's pills are published by W. Duncan, T. Thompson, P. Boa, and T. Maben. The formula recommended by the latter is practically identical with the one adopted in the Unofficial Formulary. Simple syrup is recommended by C. W. Holmes as the best excipient for making quinine pills, and simple cerate as a pill excipient adapted for readily decomposable or deliquescent substances. The subject of pill coating is dealt with by W. Gilmour and T. Thompson.

Linimentum terebinthine is stated by G. E. Perry to be obtained in a more satisfactory condition by using more soap and less water than the Pharmacopoeia directs. T. Redwood, on the other hand, finds that the official formula yields a thick, permanent emulsion, well suited for its intended use, if prepared with a neutral or nearly neutral soap. M. Conroy also defends the official formula, but lays stress on the thoroughly perfect incorporation of the soap and water, and the very slow addition of the oil of turpentine, with constant trituration.

Dealing with the use of antiseptics for the preservation of solutions of alkaloids, R. G. Eccles arrives at the conclusion that boric acid is generally better suited for this purpose than salicylic acid, but that benzoic acid is preferable to both.

Nitrite of amyl and bromide of potassium are both recommended as antidotes to cocaine; urethane is stated to be an efficient antidote to strychnine, picrotoxin, and resorcin; and oil of turpentine is favourably reported upon as an antidote to phosphorus. The effects of chloral hydrate and butylchloral hydrate are found to be effectually counteracted by picrotoxin.

A new and, as we venture to anticipate, most welcome addition to the usual contents of this book has been made in the shape of an "Unofficial Formulary," compiled by a special committee appointed for this purpose by the British Pharmaceutical Conference.

CHEMISTRY.