Sept, i, 1885.] The Australasian Scientific Magazine. 77 
derived from salicine in lowering the temperature and diminishing the 
length of the malady. Dr. Maclagan, according to the British Medical 
Journal , has used salicylic acid in every case of acute rheumatism which 
has come under his care since November, 1874, and invariably with the 
same result — a rapid cure of the disease. Dr. Strieker, an eminent 
German physician, writes in the Berliner Klinische JVochenschrift for 
several months past all the cases of acute articular rheumatism in Professor 
Traube’s wards have been treated with salicylic acid. In all the patients 
thus treated not only has there been arrest of the increase of temperature 
within forty-eight hours — generally much sooner — but they have been 
freed from the local symptoms — swelling, redness, and tenderness of the 
joints. Dr. Broadbent is of opinion that we have in salicylic acid a remedy 
for rheumatic fever, comparable to quinine as a remedy for ague. In 
cases of lumbago guarana has been prescribed with the happiest results, 
and the hypodermic injection of morphia is strongly recommended by some 
writers. 
Chionodoxa Lucillac. — This charming spring-flowering plant is also 
known as the Glory of the Snow. It bears flowers like those of the Siberian 
Squill (Scilla sibirica ), but more star-shaped, colour blue, with a white 
centre. It is perfectly hardy and of easy growth, and whether in pots or 
planted out in the open ground it does equally well. It should have a 
rich, deep sandy loam, in which it can root freely. We can heartily recom- 
mend it, having at the present moment several plants in flower. 
Philesia Buxifoua. — If only this beautiful plant were capable of 
general cultivation ! It is a well-known, but, at the same time, scarce 
Chilian evergreen, which has now come to be grown much more success- 
fully as a hardy plant than when treated as a greenhouse plant. It bears 
large and handsome solitary flowers, somewhat resembling in shape and 
colour those of Lapageria rosea. It appears to do best when planted out 
in a well-drained position, partially shaded, in deep peat, chopped sphag- 
num, and abundance of white sand, in which compost it runs freely. 
For years past the military returns have proved the Cape to be one of 
the healthiest parts of the world. They afford a valuable comparison from 
the fact that owing to the extent of the Imperial sway the British soldier is 
met with under every sun and in almost every clime, quite cosmopolitan in 
this respect, and far different from the forces of any other country. A 
striking instance of the age frequently attained in our healthy climate 
was shown in the columns of the Cape Times , when in flve death 
notices appearing consecutively an average of seventy-eight years was 
shown. Of these the highest age attained was ninety-nine, while the lowest 
was sixty-three ; and four of the deceased were women. All this goes to 
support the claim of the Cape, now well established as an important health 
resort. 
A rather amusing incident in connection with diamond stealing is 
mentioned by a Kimberley paper. An overseer at one of the mines noticed 
a native labourer put something into his mouth whilst working, and rightly 
surmised that he was endeavouring to conceal a diamond. Rushing up to 
him, he found that the wily black was equal to the occasion and succeeded 
in getting the diamond, which must have been a very large one, partly 
down his throat, where it could be felt. For some time it seemed to be a 
case of suffocation with the nigger, who at length managed to get the 
diamond down his gullet, notwithstanding every effort being put forth to 
induce the precious gem to take an opposite course. 
