DR. BAKER: I have known cases where I think it would have resulted seriously, if the relation between the physicians' intentions and the actual fact had suffered such a change. here is ample room between these measures, to point to danger? I think this possibility suggests to us to be careful about precipitating this matter. We have learned to think the old way, we may learn to calculate, but we cannot readily learn to think the metric way. It may be taught our children, and so come to them easily and naturally, but not to the present generation.

MR. O. D. BROOKS : What if a physician fails to indicate the manner of measurement of a drug, in any of his prescriptions, would it be proper to explain to him the rule to be adopted?

THE PRESIDENT: To such as are not well-informed it would be right for the druggist to give him a gentle hint.

MR. M. MCINTYRE: What is the pharmaceutist going to do, if his measures are not correct? How is he going to prove that they are correct?

I

THE PRESIDENT: What does he do about it now? He will continue to use them, or if a careful man he will make sure that his measures are correct. hope our free expressions here will make us aware of some developments, by which that question will be more readily met.

MR. HAMILTON: I would like it stated, for our own information, if there is any law of the state regulating the weights and measures.

MR. HOLMES: I doubt if the weights that are used in testing, are the weights that are used in examining.

MR. C. K. BROWN, of Deposit: I would like to ask you, Mr. Pesident, where we can find a standard for our present weights and measures?

THE PRESIDENT: I think I should run the risk of personal preferences in this matter, if I should recommend any one firm above others. But I will state, that Becker & Sons, of New York, keep standard weights. I can tell you from my own experience, that they are correct. They make the test weights and measures furnished by the College of Pharmacy of New York, and these correspond to standard sets guaranteed by the official department at Washington.

Mr. EWEN MCINTRYE: An effort was made some time ago to have a commission appointed to inspect the weights and measures, and we were to be fined $10, if our weights were incorrect. A committee met at Albany with the Legislature, and by their endeavors the bill was defeated. The College of Pharmacy sent to Washington and procured the standard of weights, and any weights you wish to have examined, will be examined there at small

cost.

Dr. F. A. CASTLE: I move that it be recorded in the minutes, that this Association favors the adoption of the metric system. Carried.

Mr. WILLIAM COULSON, of Buffalo, offered the following:

Resolved. That we, as a body, favor the use of the Metric System, and that it be entered on the minutes of the Association that such is the sense of this meeting Adopted.

Dr. HUESTED: I would like to say that I have been very much pleased by this discussion, and I would move that the thanks of the Association be tendered to the President for his very instructive address on the Metric System. The motion was adopted.

The PRESIDENT: If I have interested the mem

bers present in the metric system, I am amply compensated.

On motion of Mr. NICOT, the Association adjourned, to meet at 3 P. M.

FOURTH SESSION, THURSDAY AFTERNOON.

The Association was called to order by the PRESIDENT at 4:45 P. M.

The minutes of the morning's session were read and approved.

Mr. E. G. BISSELL, of Waterville, then read a paper, on

SYRUP OF IPECAC.

This paper will be found on page 68.

On motion of Mr. Tozier, the paper was accepted with the thanks of the Association, and directed to be published in the proceedings of the Association.

Mr. HOLMES: I would state that a few years ago I made experiments on the syrup of Ipecac. I diluted it with an equivalent of alcohol, adding a little water, and filtering without washing the filter. I have used this preparation in my business for four or five years, and always successfully. I find this also successful in other things. Take 30 fluid ounces of the extract of Ipecac, and four ounces of diluted alcohol-I would add just sufficient alcohol to incorporate it, and a little water-I would also add the requisite sugar in the filter, then pour in the liquid, and when it has passed through, it is a finished product. There you have a product which is every way desirable and which answers every requirement. I use the same process in the making of squills. I put these preparations, as a test, in the sunlight in summer, and in the winter at the nearest convenient spot near the stove, and I have

never seen any change in them of any kind. I think this is the perfection of syrup making. It makes admirable syrup of wild cherry. It requires no percolation by heat, and the putting of sugar in it is better, and it is customary to use it.

THE PRESIDENT: Regarding the trouble which many have experienced in preparing syrup of Ipecac, I would like to say a few words. Among the constituents of Ipecac Root is a certain portion of resin, which continues to be held in solution in the fluid extract, as usually prepared. To free the fluid extract of this troublesome resin, requires a large dilution with water to precipitate it, when it may be filtered out, and the liquid then concentrated, by careful evaporation. Some manufacturers do not attempt this; others are only partially successful, and the result of using such a fluid extract will be to have a syrup unsatisfactory in appearance. The method suggested by Mr. Bissel in his paper, removes this difficulty, and will doubtless furnish a bright, clear syrup not likely to ferment.

There are two other syrups which give considerable trouble: Syrup of Senega and the Compound Syrup of Squill. Fluid extract of Senega sometimes becomes nearly or quite solid, owing to the gelatinization of pectic acid. When this has occurred, it can only be remedied by the very careful addition of an alkali, either of ammonia, or bi-carbonate of potassa.

In making Syrup of Senega or the Compound Syrup of Squill, the following deviation from the officinal formula will be found advantageous:

The percolate should be quickly heated to the boiling point, and immediately afterward the source of heat should be removed. When it has become

cold, filter to remove the coagulated flocculi, and afterward the filtrate is to be evaporated to such a bulk, that when the sugar is added and dissolved, it will make the finished product correspond with the strength of the U. S. Pharmacopoea.

Mr. NICOT: I have a communication that may not be of particular interest outside of Brooklyn. The druggists of that city have been striving for some time to secure the passage of a law creating a Board of Pharmacy to regulate the sale of drugs and medicines.

This does not interfere with druggists who have been ten years in the business, but requires all who wish hereafter, to go into the drug business, to pass an examination stipulated by law. Believing it to be a measure calculated to elevate the standard of our profession, I respectfully submit the following:

Whereas, A bill "Governing the sale of Drugs and Poisons" and placing certain restrictions upon persons engaged in the drug business in Kings County, having passed both houses of the legisla ture, and now only awaits the signature of the Governor to make the same a law, therefore, be it

Resolved, That we, the New York State Pharmaceutical Association assembled in convention at Utica, heartily sympathizing with the provisions of the said act, cheerfully give it our endorsement, and while we believe it will directly benefit the profession in Brooklyn, we believe it will have a good moral effect upon the pharmacists throughout the state, and we earnestly request the Governor to affix his signature to the same.

The bill passed the legislature three weeks ago, and I think if this society would put itself on