Minutes of the Pharmaceutical Meetings.
April 18th, 1871. Prof. Procter presiding. Some verbal corrections were made in the minutes, which were noted by the Registrar.
Prof. Parrish read a paper on Beef Extracts in Combination, and exhibited specimens of several fluid preparations made with and without treatment for the separation of gelatine, all containing glycerin as an antiseptic ingredient. He also showed some bottles of Fleisch Extract Syrup, imported several years ago from Frankfort-on-the-Main, the contents of which had become completely solidified.
In view of the suggestion to precipitate the gelatine by means of tannin from the beef extracts of commerce, Prof. Procter queried whether the animal alkaloids might not also be precipitated by tannin.
Prof. Maisch said that the "Liebig Company's Extract of Meat," and some other kinds made by Liebig's formula, were free from gelatine, and would furnish fluid extracts without the necessity of resorting to the process of clarifying. Prof. Parrish remarked that he had intended to prepare some of a similar preparation from Liebig's Extract, and would do so and embody the result in his paper. On motion, the paper was referred for publication.
Prof. Parrish exhibited specimens of several farinaceous materials prepared by the Nutrio Manufacturing Company for domestic use and for infants' food. These were all made from wheat which had been heated to nearly 300° F., by which it loses from 10 to nearly 20 per cent. of moisture, and the starch is partially converted into dextrine and sugar. The company is working under patents which apply in part to the apparatus for the application and regulation of the temperature. One of the chief advantages to be obtained by the extension of this branch of manufacture will be the cheapening of infants' food, now so extensively imported.
A general discussion followed on the process for making Ferrated Elixir of Bark, and the practicability of separating the tannin by hydrated peroxide of iron, the experience of members differing in regard to this.
Mr. McIntyre stated that, if calisaya bark is treated with a very dilute alcoholic menstruum, and the tincture then mixed with the hydrated oxide, it would cease to blacken with soluble salts of iron. He stated that he used pyrophosphate of iron as the principal salt in the elixir, and overcame the green tint by a small addition of solution of citrate of iron. He had also diluted the officinal fluid extract of cinchona with good success, instead of starting with the bark itself. He had found the solution of chloride of iron convenient for precipitating the hydrated oxide with ammonia, on account of the great facility of washing out the very soluble muriate of ammonia from the magma.
Prof. Maisch expressed his preference for the cinchona alkaloids in making this elixir, and stated his conviction that few, if any, of the principal manufacturers used the bark itself, or even the alkaloids, in sufficient proportion to impart much of the tonic property of cinchona; he stated the proportion of his elixir as follows, using a chinoidin, which contains much quinia and quinidia, 90 grains to Oviiiss; 9 ½ grains of pyrophosphate are contained in each fluid ounce.
A general discussion grew up as to the propriety of preparing elixirs to meet the popular demand, or to fill the prescriptions of physicians. Prof. Maisch's custom is to make all such as are required in the course of his business, and to decline prescriptions which call for special proprietary preparations. Prof. Procter prefers sending to the physician for the formula in all cases in which there is uncertainty as to the composition designed, and dispensing such as are well known. Prof. Parrish's practice is to originate a formula in any case in which there is none published, taking into account the proper doses and pharmaceutical requirements of the ingredients, but in no case selling one of his own where another is evidently intended to be prescribed.
Mr. Gailard exhibited a specimen of Whitman's Cacao Butter, of fine quality, used by him in making suppositories.
Prof. Maisch called attention to the fact that the fusing point of this oil is generally stated to be at about 90° F. (Watt's dictionary of Chemistry gives 30° C. (86° F.)), while common experience shows that suppositories made with it, without admixture, will retain their shape reasonably well throughout our hot summers.
The preparation of suppositories being under discussion, the method of preparing them without fusion was adverted to.
Prof. Procter stated that he had practiced that method on their first introduction, but noticed a difference in the facility of manipulating them according to the temperature of the hands of different persons—while some could form a suppository without inconvenient fusion, others would have the mass become too soft to handle.
Prof. Procter exhibited the remains of the retort, the explosion of which killed our late fellow-alumnus Ferris Bringhurst, together with the curved piece of iron taken from his brain, measuring about 1 ½ inches in length by about 1 inch in width by ½ inch in thickness.
Prof. Maisch gave the result of his analysis of several samples of assafoetida taken by the Drug Inspector of this port from different cases and from different parts of the mass, with the following result
| No. 1. | No. 2. | No. 11. | No. 18. | No. 20. | |
| Oleoresin, | 34.25 | 41.47 | 61.80 | 37.86 | 28.88 |
| Alcoholic resin, | 2.23 | 2.42 | 1.13 | 1.62 | 1.20 |
| Total resin & vol. oil, | 36.48 | 43.89 | 62.93 | 39.48 | 30.08 |
| Impurities, | 57.50 | 44.01 | 15.20 | 51.70 | 62.09 |
| Gum moisture and loss, | 6.02 | 12.10 | 21.87 | 8.82 | 7.83 |
| 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 |
These were samples of amygdaloid assafoetida which a year ago was rejected by the purchaser as adulterated, he claiming that good assafoetida should be entirely free from sulphate of lime. The impurities in the above instance consist of gypsum and vegetable fragments, as always met with in the resinous matter agglutinating the tears.
CLEMMONS PARRISH, Registrar.
