THE ALUMNI JOURNAL 23 



EXPLOSION FROM COMMONLY USED REAGENTS. 



An amnioniacal solution of silver nitrate is not usually regarded as 

 a particularly dangerous mixture ; nevertheless, a bottle containing it 

 detonated violently and \vas shattered to pieces the other day at the 

 Sevres school (Brit. & Colon. Drugg., liv., p. 68). Caniille Matignon 

 explains the accident by the equation 3x\gOH+NH..=:NAg34-3H30, 

 and assumes that the silver nitride or fulminating silver of Berthollet 

 was left dry around the upper edge of the liquid through evaporation, 

 and exploded when the flask was touched. 



GINSENG MONOPOLY IN KOREA. 



The ginseng monopoly law has been promulgated in the Korean 

 Official Gazette. According to the Seoul Press, it reserves for the 

 Government the exclusive right in the preparation of ginseng, but the 

 cultivation of the plant and sale or exportation of prepared ginseng 

 may be undertaken by private individuals, provided that they, in ac- 

 cordance with the stated procedure, secure official sanction for so 

 doing. The Government will purchase plants grown by private indi- 

 viduals at a rate previously announced. 



ALCOHOL IN SMYRNA. 



Consul-General Ernest L. Harris reports that the use of alcohol in 

 the Turkish city of Smyrna is confined principally to mixing with wine 

 and raki. It is imported from Russia, Hungary, Italy and Germany. 

 From Smyrna, alcohol is distributed throughout the interior of xA-sia 

 Minor, and to the difllerent islands of the iVrchipelago, Mjtylene, Chios, 

 Samos, and Rhodes being the largest consumers. The annual Smyrna 

 trade in alcohol amounts to 34,000 barrels. No government or munici- 

 pal permit is required for a dealer to sell alcohol or erect a depot. 



TOO ROUGH. 



A traveler in the dining car of a railroad had ordered fried eggs 

 for breakfast. 



"Can't give yo' fried aigs, boss," the negro waiter informed him, 

 "lessen yo' want to wait till we stops." 



"Why, how is that?" 



"Well, de cook he says de road's so rough date ebery time he 

 tries to fry aigs dey scrambles." — Life. 



