398 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS This was followed by an address by Dr. Robert Brun, a dermatologist, on the subject of acanthosis which is a thickening of the epidermis resulting from the application of various types of cosmetic materials. Among those covered were oleyl alcohol which has a thickening effect on skin, lauric acid, the most active of the saturated acids and erucic acid, the most acanthogenic of the unsaturated acids. P. Desbaumes along with J. Deshusses presented a profound paper on the '. chromatographic study of colors and other materials used in cosmetics.. Chromatograms were displayed and techniques for performing the chroma- tography were demonstrated simultaneously with the giving of the paper. Dr. W. Guex gave a paper on the use of carotenoid derivatives as color- ants in cosmetics. Their chemical derivation and similarity to natural colorants was stressed. A group of novel materials along with some that are already in use in the United States and elsewhere were displayed. Dr. ¾. R. Naves discussed a problem in chromatography which called attention to an interpretation of chromatographs obtained in gas chroma- tography procedures, and possible misinterpretation of certain data. Dr. M. Stoll reviewed the research on ambergris, starting with the pur- chase of the right amount of good ambergris, analyzing it for active constit- uents and reconstituting the important odorous substance synthetically. The second meeting on August 5th featured several additional papers. Dr. Irwin I. Lubowe repeated his paper given in Paris and added to it some additional comments on the use of corticosteroids and their effect on hair growth and scalp conditions. M.G. aleNavarre gave a summary of the work done to date on the interference of nonionic emulsifiers with pre- servatives, a paper based largely on one presented before the Society of American Bacteriologists earlier in the year. Samuel Cohen's paper on hydantoins was repeated for the benefit of the Swiss audience. The Swiss symposium ended with Kurt Pfeiffer's contribution on the study of cosmetic production, products, equipment, advertising and journals on the subject of beauty, as they are in fact in the various countries of Europe, for the benefit of the American audience in particular who do not have easy access to this type of information. Dr. Robert A. Marriott, past president of the Society of Cosmetic Chem- ists of Great Britain and director of County Laboratories, Limited, met the U.S. group on August 6th along with president of the British Society, Jack Pickthall and secretary, Fred Riley. The British Society welcomed the U.S. delegation at a buffet supper that evening which was followed by a joint meeting of the directors of the two Societies. The British Society for Research on Ageing Symposium on The Biology of Hair Growth met at the Royal College of Surgeons, London, on August 7th through 9th. This symposium was made possible by the financial sup- port of County Laboratories, Limited.