THE AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY. 
105 
were the animals operated upon, and in every instance the animals appeared to 
to feel no ill effects from snake-bite on the antidote being applied, although 
those' animals who were bitten and not operated upon with the antidote speedily 
succumbed. Mr. Kemp is stated to have learned the secret of the preparation 
of the antidote from Underwood when the latter was staying on the North-west 
Coast some years ago. 
The Launceston sanitary officer’s report for the half-year ending 31st 
December last states the deaths which have occurred within the municipal 
boundaries during that term to have been 428 ; births, 734. Infant mortality 
(under one year) is stated at 173 per thousand. 
5th March. 
On the 27th February Sir Julius Yogel, Chief Secretary and Colonial Treasurer, 
addressed a large meeting of the burgesses of Auckland, in the Theatre Royal, 
and amongst those present on the platform were Mr. Graves Aickin, president 
of the Pharmacy Board, and Mr. Sharland, wholesale druggist of this city. 
At the close of the proceedings Mr. T. B. Hill, another pharmaceutical chemist, 
made the following remarks, as reported in the Evening Bell : — “Mr. T. B. Hill 
said Sir Julius Yogel told them if there should be another session of Parliament 
before the dissolution a cost of £25,000 would be entailed. He asked the 
meeting to signify its approval or otherwise of a dissolution taking place before 
another session. Mr. Hill, being interrupted by cries of ‘ Cut it short,’ had to 
retire without effecting what he desired.” From this the readers of the Journal 
of Pharmacy will see the active part the members of the pharmaceutical 
profession here take in matters outside their own business. This is in marked 
contrast with what is usually the case in the old country, where one finds the 
druggist so fully occupied in getting a living that he has but little time and 
inclination to meddle with matters of Imperial legislation. Sir Julius, should 
he carry through the policy sketched out in his address, proposes to increase 
the import duties of the colony. It is to be hoped that chemicals, drugs, 
surgical instruments, &c., &c., may not be affected. Drugs and druggists* 
sundries at present are charged an ad valorem duty of 15 per cent., and some 
chemicals much more — for instance, soda carbonate two shillings per cwt. ; 
whereas acid nitric, borax, essential oils, glycerine, soda ash, soda sulphate, and 
many other chemicals come in free. It is curious that the crude and coarse 
chemicals which perhaps could be manufactured profitably here are free, while 
those articles which can only be produced remuneratively in old and settled 
communities — and the impost of which can only amount to a comparatively 
trifling sum — are vexatiously taxed. 
The Auckland Evening Star of 26th February, in reporting the mishap on 
board the Union steamer Manapouri , caused by nitric acid, heads its account 
thus : “ Steamer JSJanapouri on fire. Narrow escape of the vessel. Caused by 
nitric acid. It is to be regretted that such misleading headings should pass 
current as a record of accidents of such a nature, and such looseness of state- 
ment points to the fact that instruction in the nature and uses of some of the 
commoner manufacturing agents should form a part of every child’s education. 
No doubt Captain Logan deserves great credit for his able direction of the 
operations, but it seems only reasonable to think that when the directing 
officers found that reddish fumes escaped at the opening of the hatch they 
