contain any such active principles. The points to be decided in our work are, (1) are the active principle or principles obtained as the product of our assay physiologically active in the sense of constricting the arterioles, and (2) is the mother-liquor of the fluid extract from which these were extracted devoid of such physiological activity? Experiment I. Black rooster, weight 5 lbs. Before the injection the wattles and comb were red and warm. 5 Cc. fluid extract of best Spanish ergot were injected hypodermically at 10 a. m. At 10:35 a. m., comb bluish but warm; wattles still red and warm. At II a. m., comb and wattles blue and cooler. At 11:40 a. m., comb and wattles very blue and much cooler. At 3:30 p. m., comb and wattles still very blue and cool. Rooster's bill open, and rooster looking quite sick. Conclusion: Fluid extract of ergot quite active. Experiment II. The cornutine of Keller obtained from 5 Cc. of this same fluid extract was dissolved in weak acetic acid, and diluted so as to correspond in amount to the original fluid extract used. Injected 5 Cc. of this liquid at 10:35 a. m. hypodermically into the same rooster. At 11:30 a. m., comb blue and cool all over, bill wide open, wattles bluish and cool. At 12 m., comb much bluer and cool, wattles blue and cool. At 1:30 p. m., comb deep blue and cool, wattles very blue and cool. At 4:20 p. m., comb and wattles still both very blue all over and very cool. Conclusion: the effect of the cornutine of Keller is identical with that of the fluid extract. Experiment III. Filtrate obtained after removing all the cornutine by Keller's method of assay from 5 Cc. was neutralized, made up to 10 Cc., and injected hypodermically into the same rooster at 9:45 a. m. At 10:48 a. m., slight bluing at the tips of the comb, wattles still red and both warm. At 1:40 p. m., comb and wattles still warm, and both quite red. : Conclusion the fluid extract except the cornutine of Keller does not cause vaso-constriction, and is hence not active physiologically. Experiment IV. Gray and white rooster, weight 5 pounds. Injected hypodermically with 5 Cc. fluid extract of ergot. At 9: 16 a. m., wattles and comb red and warm. At 9:37 a. m., comb bluish and cooler, wattles beginning to blue. At 9:56 a. m., comb very blue and cold, wattles very cold and blue. At 11:36 a. m., comb very blue and cold, wattles very cold and blue. At 125 p. m., comb and wattles still bluer. Comb and wattles still blue next day. Experiment V. Cornutine of Keller, from the fluid extract used in experiment IV, injected hypodermically into the same rooster at 8:30 a. m., wattles and comb red and warm. At 9 a. m., comb and wattles decidedly blue and cool, bill open. At 10 a. m., comb and wattles very blue and cold, bill open and panting. At 1 p. m., comb and wattles still very blue and cold, and still blue next day. Experiment VI. Filtrate, corresponding to 5 Cc. of original fluid extract from assay of experiment V, neutralized and injected into the same rooster, his comb and wattles being red and warm at 9:35 a. m. At 9:58 a. m., comb and wattles still red and warm. At 10: 39 a. m.,.comb pale-bluish on one tip and warm, wattles red and warm. At 12 a. m., comb pale-bluish on one tip and warm, wattles red and warm. At 150 p. m., comb and wattles still red and warm. Experiment VII. Black and white rooster, weight 4 lbs., comb and wattles red and warm. Injected 5 Cc. fluid extract of ergot at 10:53 a. m. At 11:10 a. m., comb and wattles still warm and red. At 11:31 a. m., comb bluish at tips, comb and wattles cooling. At 11:47 a. m., comb bluer, wattles pale and cooler. At 12:07 p. m., comb bluer, wattles pale, almost white, and cool. At 12:55 p. m., comb much bluer and cold, wattles whitish and cold. At 2 p. m., comb very blue and cold, wattles white and cold. At 5 p. m., comb still blue at tips and cool, wattles pink and cool. Experiment VIII. Black rooster, 5 lbs., wattles and comb red and warm at 12 m. Injected cornutine of Keller obtained from 5 Cc. fluid extract of ergot in experiment VII. At 12 27 m., comb bluing, wattles red. At 12:55 p. m., comb very blue, wattles paler. At 1:45 p. m., comb dark blue and cold, wattles blue and cool. At 4:15 p. m., very blue and cold, wattles very blue and cold. At 4:55 p. m., comb very blue and wattles still blue. At 8: 10 a. m., next day, tip of comb still blue, wattles pale. At 8:00 a. m., day after, comb and wattles still pale and cool. Experiment IX. Black rooster, 5 lbs. Comb and wattles red and warm. At 12:35 p. m. injected filtrate corresponding to 5 Cc. fluid extract from experiment VIII, representing all the fluid extract but the cornutine of Keller. At p. m., comb tips slightly blue, wattles red. At 1: 15 p. m., comb tips still pale blue, wattles red and both warm. At 1:55 p. m., one tip only bluish, wattles red. At 3 p. m., both wattles and comb red and warm. These experiments indicate (1) that the fluid extracts of ergot used contained active principle or active principles that cause vaso-constriction; (2) that the product of the assay for the cornutine of Keller causes fully as much constriction of the arterioles, and is hence at least part, if not all, of the efficient part of ergot that causes vaso-constriction; (3) that what is left of the fluid extract of ergot does not produce much, if any, of this vaso-constriction, and does not hence contain much, if any, of those active principles of ergot which produce vaso-constriction, and which are generally considered to represent the efficiency of ergot; and finally (4) that the assay of fluid extract of ergot for Keller's Cornutine is a correct means of standardizing this drug for its vaso-constrictor virtues, or what is generally considered to be its therapeutic efficiency. Baltimore, September 3, 1902. THE COMPARATIVE STABILITY OF COLORS IN WALL PAPER. BY JOHN M. LINDLY, PH. G., WINFIELD, IOWA. The salesman of wall paper is frequently asked if such a sample will fade, or is confronted with the bold assertion that such a specimen will do so. Usually, he is unable to answer the question definitely, or to deny the charge. Not having noticed any observations on the subject of the stability of colors in wall paper, the writer was prompted to make a few tests or experiments. Forty-six samples of wall paper, no two alike, representing as many colors, shades and tints, were exposed to the bright sunlight during the middle of the day for two days, making a total exposure of eight hours. This was done in the earlier part of August. The results are classified into eleven color groups, averaging about four samples to each group. According to the average resistance of the samples of each group to the influence of the sunlight, the groups have been arranged in the following order of permanence : 1. The whites were unchanged. 2. The drabs were unchanged. 3. Buffs. Half the samples unchanged; the other half, being the darker, was very slightly lightened. 4. Dark blues. The darkest specimen, unchanged; the others, slightly changed but not sufficiently to attract attention. 5. Yellows. One, a high priced sample, showed no change; three showed slight change the fifth, an ingrain, was much faded. 6. Dark greens. The two darker were very slightly dulled. One of the lighter was apparently unchanged, while the fourth was much faded. 7. Dark browns. Half of these samples exhibited very little change, while the remainder betrayed a noticeable alteration. 8. Light browns. Two showed marked change; the third only slight. 9. Light greens. All showed change; a few very much. 10. Reds. All showed great change, the light ones and pinks having faded nearly white. 11. Light blues. All faded nearly white. The foregoing is offered as the rule for the stability of colors in wall paper, to which, like most rules, there are evident exceptions. These exceptions are probably due to a difference in the chemical material composing the coloring-matter. It was also observed that the light shades were more prone to fade than dark ones. The higher priced papers were more stable than the cheaper ones, with a few exceptions. Gilts and micas were apparently unchanged. Red, pink, green and purple decorations, on any background, faded. The question may arise as to the colors that were assumed in fading. Specimens of the same papers were exposed during the spring, each for several days, to the strong light of the show window, and sometimes to the direct rays of the sun. The dark or deep reds became a dark purple, sometimes of pinkish-purple hue; the light reds became a light pink. The dark greens assumed a genuine slate color; the light greens approached white, sometimes with a yellowish tinge. The drabs became lighter, approaching white. The browns assumed a dark, reddish drab. Even the whites assumed a cream tint, which is probably the ultimate color into which a majority of all the other colors would finally fade. When colored glass was placed over a light blue paper, the paper faded least under the green glass and most under the purple glass. When a red paper was treated in a similar manner, it faded least under the red glass and most under the green glass. It is doubtful if there is any color used in wall paper that is absolutely permanent. However, the gilt and mica, or the gold and silver, on the specimens subjected to the long-time exposures, showed no alteration. Perhaps, the most permanent wall paper would be that with a white or buff background with gilt and mica decorations. MINUTES OF THE SECTION ON PRACTICAL PHARMACY AND DISPENSING. FIRST SESSION-FRIDAY MORNING, SEPT. 12, 1902. The Section was called to order at 10 o'clock a m., in the convention hall of the Hotel Walton by Mr. George W. Sloan, acting Chairman, who said: Gentlemen: You will notice on the program here that the first order of business is an address by the Chairman. I wish to say that if that refers to me, there is no address. A year ago, at St. Louis, the gentleman who was made Chairman of the Section, very earnestly solicited me to join the Committee with him. I told him I had done my work in the Association, and ought to be allowed to rest. He assured me that there would be no work for me to do, that he simply wished to have me as an advisory member of the Committee. After some correspondence on the subject, I consented, and in two months' time I received a letter from him saying he had resigned from the Association. I immediately wrote to President Whelpley, and told him that under no circumstances would I accept the Chairmanship of this Committee; that it involved a great deal of work, and that in addition to the necessity of making a living, my hands were full of other things. It finally resulted that Mr. Kaemmerer and Mr. Hynson very kindly consented to take up the work, and I wish to say that all the credit that is due for the work of this Committee is due to these gentlemen, for they have done the work. With this explanation, I will now call upon Mr. Hynson to read a paper he has prepared. MR. HYNSON: I will not try to read all of my paper at this time, for two reasons: one is, I want a larger audience, if possible; and then there are some gentlemen who desire to present their papers before you this morning instead of this evening, because they cannot be present at the evening meeting. You all remember that envelopes were sent out asking the members to place in them such notes and prescriptions as they found difficult and send them to the Secretary. Now, I want to read, first, what I had left from the last roll of honor-because if there is one set of members deserving more credit than any other, I think it is the little band |