After some further discussion, the amended motion was withdrawn, and Mr. Ebert moved that the report be accepted, and the Committee discharged. This was adopted, and a motion was made by Mr. Holmes, of Washington Territory, that a new Committee be appointed to report at the next meeting as to the feasibility of holding a meeting in San Francisco, or on the Pacific coast. This motion was likewise adopted.

The Permanent Secretary now read a letter from the Orleans Pharmaceutical Association, inviting the Association to hold a meeting in the City of New Orleans, in the year 1885. The invitation was accepted, on motion of Mr. Menninger, and directed to be referred to the Committee on the time and place of the next annual meeting, to be hereafter appointed. On motion of Mr. Shinn, the thanks of the Association were returned to the pharmacists of New Orleans for their very kind invitation. The report of the Committee appointed to visit the Western Wholesale Druggists' Association was called up.

MR. GORDON.-Mr. President, I have made no formal written report as to what that Committee did, as there was no business specially intrusted to them from that organiza. tion. Three members of the Committee, myself being one of those members, were present. We presented to that meeting the cordial greeting of this Association, and we were very cordially received, and responses were made by several members of the Association to what I had to say. I think that the advantage of this intercourse will be very material to both the organizations in the future. In am very glad to report that there was so much cordiality of feeling exhibited as there was. I don't know that there is anything special that I have to say further than this in relation to it. As I said before, there was nothing special intrusted to me to report to this Association.

Mr. Sloan read the report of the Committee on the Drug Market, which was accepted and referred for publication.

The President appointed Messrs. Shinn, of Pennsylvania; Ingalls, of Georgia; and Ebert, of Illinois, a Committee to consider and report on the time and place of the next annual meeting.

On motion of the Chairman of Council, the Association visited the exhibition room, and then adjourned to meet again in the afternoon at 3 o'clock.

THIRD SESSION.-WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, SEPTEMBER 13.

President Thompson called the Association to order at 3.30 p. m. The Secretary read the minutes of the second session, and they were approved.

MR. COLCORD.-I would like to offer a motion similar to the one adopted by our State Association last spring; one that concerns this Association more than any other one in the country. The motion is as follows:

Resolved, That the committee on legislation be instructed to ask an appropriation of $25,000 from the general government, at the next session of Congress, to be expended under the direction of the Commissioner of Agriculture for the introduction and cultivation of foreign medicinal plants, and for the better protection of our indigenous plants.

I had some correspondence with Dr. Loring on this point, and he is heartily in favor of the movement, and thinks that such an appropriation can be obtained, and that it will be of special benefit to each one of us as pharmacists. Experiments can be made throughout the country. I think many pharmacists residing in the different sections of our country a country of so vast extent-can assist in the introduction of almost all of the medicinal plants of the globe; and I hope the Association will adopt this resolution.

MR. EBERT.-I don't know that this Association ought to have much to do with this matter of asking money from Congress. We might want something at some future day, and we would not get it. I would ask whether Dr. Loring has made this request of us. MR. COLCORD.-I stated that this resolution was adopted by our State Association, and it was recommended that a similar resolution be passed by this Association to the same effect. Since then I have received a letter, in which Dr. Loring said it was a good idea to ask the Association at the next meeting to pass this resolution. It was an object which would be of great benefit to the country and of benefit to us. He states that many of our indigenous plants are becoming scarce, and some will become extinct soon unless some means are taken for their protection, as is being done by the British government in their colonies, and also in England. This is acknowledged by them to be one of the greatest benefits they have ever received.

MR. EBERT.-Mr. William Saunders and myself have had the pleasure of visiting the Agricultural Department and the propagating houses, and of meeting the Superintendent, whose name is also William Saunders; he showed us the work they are doing. He spoke about the deficiency of funds. He did not express himself as very enthusiastic in regard to the medicinal plants, and he did not seem to lay any stress upon it. He said that the trouble was that that class of plants had very little attention given to them, that they were neglected. Seemingly what there was, was more for ornamental and for economical purposes. He did not at all seem to feel enough interest in this matter to say that he thought a money appropriation would be of any advantage. I do not wish at all to stand in the way, or seem to make any argument against getting some money out of Uncle Sam, provided it is going to do some good; but will it be properly appropriated? They have made a great many experiments in the Agricultural Department, and a great deal of flourish has been made, but very little accomplished. The former commissioner, Le Duc, travelled over the country from one end to the other, trying to raise sugar out of every vegetable and weed in the country, and a large amount of money was squandered. Associations like this are very apt to help the hobby of some man, and afterwards find it to be a great mistake. If Dr. Loring has asked us to aid him in this work, and really feels interested himself in it, and if it is not for some other hobby that Dr. Loring has, I would not hesitate one moment in saying it is a good thing. I do hope we will not ask favors when we really are not going to be benefited by them.

MR. MENNINGER.-I move that this subject be referred to the Council with power. Mr. President, I desire to say in explanation of my motion, that it has been made in order that some investigations may be had by this Association, or its officers, into the manner of the expenditure for purposes of this kind. I am aware that Congress has from time to time made appropriations for the introduction of foreign medicinal plants. I am also aware that these efforts have been crowned with very little success. This may be a

particularly promising case, but I think it would be well, before the Association commits itself, to have the matter looked into by its own officers.

The motion of Mr. Menninger, to refer the matter to the Council with power, was duly seconded and adopted.

Professor Prescott read a paper in answer to query 16, On the Quality of Commercial Iodide of Potassium (see page 367). Vice President Rice in the Chair.

MR. REMINGTON.-Mr. President: It occurred to me while Professor Prescott was reading this paper, that the object of the manufacturers in sending iodide of potassium which contains a little alkali, is very evident. Professor Prescott has stated that if iodide of potassium is kept perfectly dry and well protected, the neutral salt will not become discolored; but I think that where potassium carbonate and potassium chloride are present, the tendency is to attract moisture; and that it is difficult, even with the pharmacopoeial allowances of chloride and carbonate, to retain it in that dry condition; but if it is not kept dry, it will certainly become discolored upon keeping; and the manufacturers prefer to have the iodide slightly alkaline, because they can always send that out white, and they will have no complaint from their customers, who would return the article if slightly discolored. I think the pharmacists ought to be educated to believe that the iodide of potassium, if slightly discolored, but free from alkalinity, is better as an iodide of potassium to use, than one which is perfectly white and shows an excess of alkali. There is unquestionably, in the practical use of iodide of potassium in prescriptions, very frequently a difficulty met with. We find that we will get precipitates which are entirely due to the presence of this free alkali. I am very glad that Professor Prescott cailed attention to the fact, as the principal objection to the iodide of potassium is that it contains an alkali. Practically and medicinally, the amount of alkali shown to be present was not sufficient to make a particle of difference.

MR. VOGELER.—I would like to ask if its presence is objectionable? The conclusion is that coloration is due to free iodine.

MR. REMINGTON.-I was speaking within the limits allowed by the Pharmacopoeia. A slight discoloration might be found when the iodide of potassium was sent out perfectly neutral. The amount of discoloration that would come from that cause, I do not think would be subject to objection.

MR. MARKOE.-There is one difficulty which gives a great deal of trouble in our section. Many physicians are in the habit of prescribing iodide of potassium in combination with the syrup of iodide of iron. I scarcely know of a more delicate practical reagent than that. The least trace of alkali will decompose the ferrous iodide and make a colored preparation. With us an alkaline iodide of potassium is exceedingly annoying for that reason.

MR. VOGELER.—I heard it stated a few years ago that the practice was to leave it in that state, in order to produce finer crystals.

MR. REMINGTON.-That is true.

Mr. Vogeler.—I wish to enquire about the granulated salt. I have been told by agents who praised such points, that it is really less contaminated with alkali than the crystals are. I would like to hear the experience of others in that respect.

VICE PRESIDENT RICE.-If I understand Mr. Vogeler, he has asked the question whether the granulated salt, which is pretended to be better, is more impure than crystals.

MR. VOGELER.-Yes, sir; which is pretended to be freer from alkali-whether that is so or not. I would like to have the experience of any of the members present.

THE SECRETARY.-I have no experience, Mr. President, with the granulated salt at present in commerce; but with regard to the other point touched upon by Mr. Vogeler, the crystallization of the iodide of potassium from an alkaline solution, is done chiefly for the purpose of getting it white and opaque. Iodide of potassium crystals obtained from a neutral solution are apt to be perfectly transparent. Nobody would buy it if it was transparent.

MR. PARSONS.-That is exactly the point. The manufacturer in this country who would prepare a chemically pure iodide of potassium could not sell it. It would be returned to him as fast as he sent it out. The fact is also that iodide of potassium which is made perfectly pure as regards the carbonate, is quite likely to contain chloride. That attracts moisture, and is very easily affected by the air, and will give off free iodine. It seems to me that manufacturers should be limited to the amount of carbonate which should be allowed, in order that the salt should be preserved. Pure iodide of potassium, unless free from chloride, will not keep for any length of time without giving free iodine.

THE SECRETARY.-I wish to make only one remark in addition to what Prof. Parsons has stated. A statement was made that the perfectly pure iodide of potassium could not be sold in this country. I wish to draw the attention of the members to the fact that some eight or ten years ago an English firm endeavored to introduce it in Great Britain, and that it had to give up the manufacture. The opaque salt, I believe, is sold all over Europe.

MR. VOGELER.--If this is true, I am only too glad that this discussion has been brought about, because we ought to know by all means whether iodide of potassium ought to look opaque or transparent, If the opaqueness is given by manufacturers in order to satisfy the wants of the American Pharmaceutists, we ought to be the ones to discard such notions, if we know the principle to be wrong.

MR. LLOYD. We know that it is true regarding the bromide of potassium, that transparent bromide of potassium is not marketable. This salt crystallized from a neutral solution is transparent unless it is deposited from a very hot solution. In making bromide of potassium it has been found necessary, as I know, to have the solution alkaline, from the presence of a certain amount of carbonate of potassium, so as to prepare those peculiar crystals which the market demands.

MR. PRESCOTT.-The suggestion was made that the proportion of alkali should be more definitely limited than it has been. It was remarked in the paper that the pharmacopoeias have been very lax, and our pharmacopoeial test is one which admits an alkaline reaction of some variation. Of course it is difficult positively to rule out any sample on that ground. It occurred to me, thinking over the results of the examination, that if perhaps in the future pharmacopoeia a limit was adopted to be defined by volumetric tests, it would be a good thing. It is a very simple matter to observe that if there be a very considerable excess of alkaline carbonate, it aggravates this difficulty, the acquisition of free iodine, by being hygroscopic, and increasing the tendency to become in a condition to liberate the iodine.

MR. REMINGTON.-I would like to ask Mr. Prescott whether he does not regard his examination as proving conclusively, that a very good quality of the iodide of potassium

comes into this country and is used in the market. It seems to me, listening to his paper, that the iodide of potassium at the present time in the market was of very good quality.

MR. PRESCOTT.-I hardly want to be responsible for saying anything more than the paper says in regard to that. I should say that it was of fair quality; but considering the entire feasibility of getting a better quality, I would say we ought not to be contented with it; but I am very sorry that the pharmacists of the country should be more ready to regard the porcelain lustre, the slight opacity, and the difference in the elegance of a crystalline salt, than to regard the important pharmacopoeial requirements, especially some of them which cause very much embarrassment at the prescription stand. We are apt not to think of these things, but when we see a precipitate from the iodide of iron, which has been mentioned, we think of it as something accidental, rather than being a natural result.

MR. SHINN.-I think if every dealer should order his chemicals U. S. P. standard from the manufacturers, they would provide the article. It depends upon the colleges and State Associations whether such a practice will prevail.

MR. LLOYD.-Is there not another trouble-that the iodide, and bromide of potassium when combined with salts of alkaloids, cause a decomposition in the presence of carbonates?

VICE PRESIDENT RICE.-The remark of Professor Lloyd was one I was going to make. It is a common custom to prescribe iodide of potassium in mixtures containing, for instance, bichloride of mercury, and vegetable tinctures or solutions of alkaloids, when a precipitation might result disastrously to the patient. I have known two instances in which serious results followed by parties taking the residue in the bottle when the mixture was almost used up.

MR. LLOYD. It strikes me that there was some years ago a case of poisoning reported in California. In this case the bromide of potassium and one of the salts of strychnine were united. That case reached the courts; and it was always a query in my mind, whether the bromide or the carbonate of potassium precipitated the strychnine, and in that way made the last dose fatal.

MR. MARKOE.—The question seems to narrow down practically to a question between the consumer and the manufacturer-that the consumer insists upon a certain appearance, and compels the manufacturer, in order to sell his products, to meet this appearance. I think the shortest way, and the only progress we can make, is to have this Association, the colleges of pharmacy, and the pharmaceutical journals, insist upon the quality of the article, as determined by applying the test of the Pharmacopoeia, and not by its appearance. Everybody knows that the agents of many manufacturers make a point of calling attention to the whiteness of certain crystals, when that whiteness does not depend upon palpable merits. We must educate the pharmacist to rely upon the Pharmacopoeia itself, and not upon the statements of the agents of rival houses.

VICE PRESIDENT RICE.-The force of the popular demand for crystals of this color has even compelled committees appointed for revising the Pharmacopoeias, both in this country and in Europe, to recognize in the officinal descriptions crystals which are opaque, and to provide for tests which shall limit the alkalinity to a certain degree. This was wrong, but it had to be done in order to comply with an existing state of facts.