erated in the burning are regarded as a serious impediment to navigation. M. Herland, in a paper read before the French Academy of Sciences (Comptes Rendus), describes a method whereby all these defects are avoided. The kelp is gathered, and placed in large wire cages, or baskets, which are lifted by proper machinery, and suspended, for a time, in vats containing a mixture of water and quicklime. In this way the saline constituents are dissolved and held in solution, the lime taking the place of the soda. The process is continued, with successive baskets of kelp, until the liquor shows a proper alkaline strength, when it is evaporated, and yields a salt containing much alkali, and rich in iodine, which is afterward separated. This method gives 45 to 50 per cent. of salts, and 2 to 3 per cent. of iodine, against 15 of salts and 1 per cent. iodine, by the process by burning. PREPARATION of MedicinaL HYDROBROMIC ACID.—In a communication in New Remedies relating to the preparation of Fothergill's acid, (see this Journal for May, vol. x. p. 377). Mr. H. M. Church, of Holly, Michigan, claims to having first prepared the acid for medicinal use. Its author, Dr. Wade, also proposed the formula for its preparation, and adopted from the first the standard often grains of bromine to the fluid drachm. Unfortunately, the formula given by Dr. Fothergill, of London, England, after having referred to the original article in Peninsular Journal of Medicine (Detroit), by Dr. Wade, gives a preparation considerably weaker than that first proposed; but it is probable that this was unintentional on the part of Dr. F., as he intrusted the whole matter of its preparation to the hospital pharmacist, and has said nothing in regard to lowering the standard. Now, the average dose of bromhydric acid of the strength of ten grs. of bromine to the drachm is half a drachm for an adult, and it is altogether likely that whoever prescribes it, does so, having only in view the preparation above described. If this formula should be adopted as officinal, the result would be "dilute brom-. hydric acid." The working formula is as follows: Ꭱ Bromide of potassium.... 120 grs. 153 grs. I Alz. Dissolve the bromide in the water, and then the acid. Place in cold water 12 hours for precipitation and decant. Large quantities may be made, as it keeps well. As prepared from above formula its specific gravity at 60° is 1.228. POISONOUS PRINCIPLE IN MOULDY INDIAN CORN.-Some years ago many of the residents of a certain district in Lombardy were seized with an illness, which was, in time, traced to the use of bread made of corn-meal. This was again ascribed to the presence of a fungus-Sporisorium mardis—found in Indian corn, and it was also thought that the rancidity of the oil, abundant in the grain, had something to do with the result. M. Babiano now states that the Pellagru, or sickness, was due to the presence of mould. It has been proved that mouldy meal is poisonous to man and beast, and recent researches have isolated an alkaloid, which is described as being uncrystallizable, white, insoluble in water, soluble in alcohol and ether, and, under certain conditions, giving a reaction similar to that of strychnia. This does not necessarily prove these substances to be at all identical. INNOCUOUSNESS OF VERMILION AND VULCANITE--In the report of a committee of the Odontological Society of England, in which several supposed cases of mercurial poisoning by vulcanite gums. were made the subject of investigation, the following conclusions were arrived at: -So far as any action on man is concerned, vermilion is a harmless substance. So far as any effect or influence of the vermilion is concerned, the mixture of vermilion, sulphur, and India-rubber, commonly termed dental rubber,' is also a perfectly innocuous substance. Pink or red vulcanite, even when placed under the severest conditions of experiment, does not yield any trace of mercury to saliva or indeed to other far more powerful solvents. The metallic pins and braces in dental vulcanite do not displace mercury, or induce the formation of any compound of mercury soluble in more powerful solvents. EXPLOSIVE MIXTURE.-A correspondent of the Pharm. Jour. & Trans. contributes a notice of another "pharmaceutical torpedo. discovered in dispensing a prescription containing subnitrate of bismuth, bicarbonate of soda and peppermint water. About an hour after the delivery of the bottle containing this mixture, an explosion took place, by which the bottle was blown to pieces. It is suggested that the bismuth and sodium exchanged acids, by which half the carbonic acid present would be thrown out of combination, and might give rise to the consequences described. PRESERVATION OF LIME AND LEMON JUICES.-A writer in the London Times proposes for this purpose the use of glycerine, with which the juice, previously heated to precipitate albuminous mat ter, is to be sweetened. It is said to retard the growth of fungus and also to preserve the juice from freezing. LAMPREY OIL, extracted from the eel of that name, has been proposed as a substitute for cod-liver oil. The crude oil is much used for industrial purposes, and when purified is said to be quite palatable and easily digested. It contains more iodine than codliver oil and bids fair to rival it as a remedial agent. Varieties. A QUICK DRYING OIL.-The tong-yeou, a tree which flourishes in China and Cochin-China, produces, in large quantities, a fruit affording a capsule filled with rich, oil-yielding kernels. The oil is readily extracted by pressure; It has a density of 0.9362, and possesses a number of remarkable properties. According to recent investigations, this oil dries more rapidly than any other known oil, a film of the same on a clean glass or metal surface becoming quite dry after several hours. One of its most notable properties resides in the fact that, simply under the influence of light, the atmosphere being excluded, it becomes solid. It likewise solidifies when warmed in the air; this last phenomenon, however, is of chemical nature, having its origin in oxidation. The attempt will be made, it is said, to domesticate the tong-yeou in Algeria, where its valuable product will be more available for the purposes of commerce. ON OSMIUM.-Osmium, as obtained by MM. Ste.-Claire Deville and H. Debray, has a fine blue color, shaded with gray. It forms small crystals, either cubic or rhombohedric, closely bordering upon the cubic form. It is harder than glass, which it scratches with ease. It is the heaviest body known, its specific gravity being 27°477. Crystalline osmium is obtained by passing the vapor of osmic acid, repeatedly rectified, over pure carbon. The sesquioxide of osmium is frequently deposited in the tube in crystalline scale of a fine coppery red. It is permanent in the air, and consists of Osmium Oxygen -Druggists' Circular. 80.13 10.87 100'00 USE OF CLOTHES WRINGERS IN PLACE OF PRESSES.-E. Diedrich states in "Apotheker Zeitung " that he has been using cloth wringers for over a year and prefers them to the presses usually employed in which the margin of the presscake always retains a portion of the liquid. By straining tinctures, infusions, decoctions, etc., through a bag, and passing the latter through the wringer, all the liquid will be easily separated, without coming in contact with the hands. Pulp of tamarind, etc., may be rapidly made and with the use of little water, by passing the material first through a coarse hair sive, and afterwards, enclosed in a suitable bag, through the wringer. Am. Jour. Pharm. NON-POISONOUS VEGETABLE FLY-PAPER.-Powdered black pepper is mixed with syrup to a thick paste, which is spread by means of a broad brush upon coarse blotting paper. Common brown syrup will answer, but syrup made from sugar is preferable, as it dries quicker. For use, a piece of this paper is laid upon a plate and dampened with water. The paper may also be made directly at the mill by adding sugar to the pulp and afterwards to of powdered black pepper, and rapidly working it into a porous paper. Registrar's Notices. The following have paid the renewal fee for the current year, since the authorised list was published on the 15th June: Bond, F. C., Goderich. Bond, J., Goderich. Bond. J. R., Schomberg. Brown, J. W., Lyn. Kempt, C. W., Peterboro. Margach, J. L., Duffin's Creek. Mills, J., Jarvis. McCallum, F. H., New Hamburg. McCollum, W. A., Tilsonburg. McGarvin, J. E., Acton. McLennan, C., Warkworth. Wood, R. S., Oakville. Yeomans, L. H., Mount Forest. CANADIAN PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL VOL. XI, No. 2. TORONTO, SEPTEMBER, 1877. WHOLE NO. CXI Transactions of Pharmaceutical ONTARIO COLLEGE OF PHARMACY. COUNCIL MEETING. The first meeting of the Fifth Council of the Ontario College of Pharmacy was held at the rooms of the College, on Wednesday, 1st August, 1877. Present:-Messrs. A. B. Bennett, W. T. Bray, Wm. Elliott, N. C. Love, Hugh Miller, E. H. Parker, John Roberts, Wm. Saunders, G. J. G. Waugh, and L. W. Yeomans. Mr. Love took the chair. Meeting was called to order at 3.40 p.m. A telegram was received from Mr. Jordan, expressing regret at not being able to attend the meeting. The Chairman stated the first business before the Council was the election of officers, which was to be taken by open vote. Moved by Mr. Saunders, seconded by Mr. Miller, that Mr. Elliot be President for the next two years. Mr. Elliot stated that he would prefer that the Council would elect a practical man to fill the position of President, so much of his time being taken up as a mercantile man, and being engaged in the wholesale business, he thought a gentleman engaged in the retail business would be better acquainted with the requirements of the retail trade. Several members expressed themselves in favour of Mr. Elliot as being a practical business man, and, therefore, the best to fill the position of President. The motion was put to the meeting and carried unanimously. Mr. Elliot took the chair, and in a few brief remarks thanked the Council for the confidence they had expressed by placing him in that position. |