436 
THE AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY. 
The ordinary monthly meeting of the Odontological Society was held on 
Thursday, the 7th October. There was a good attendance. Mr. MTntyre 
contributed a paper on some incidents of practice, and Mr. J. Cumming read 
one on “Ancient Dentistry, Historical and Anecdotal,” which was listened to with 
great interest. 
Some 86 cases of brandy, which were recently brought from Marseilles by 
the s.s. Sydney , have been seized, by direction of the Central Board of Health. 
Samples analysed by Mr. C. R. Blackett, Acting Government analyst, were described 
as “below the standard, and not of the quality or character of genuine brandy,” 
and Mr. Blackett added that he did not consider the liquor should be allowed 
to go into consumption. 
The Government agricultural chemist (Mr. A. N. Pearson) has found, in the 
course of his analyses of soils, that the land cultivated by market gardeners of 
old standing is usually very rich in manurial matters, which are locked up^ 
however, in a slowly accessible condition. He recommends a regular application 
of quick or slaked lime, at the rate of 3cwt. to the acre, in place of manure, as 
the best means of liberating the manurial properties and making them accessible. 
Its use should be continued for some years ; in fact, until the land begins to show 
the want of more manure. 
It was stated in a telegram published in the Argus that Dr. M. Perceval, 
of St. Kilda, had been elected resident surgeon of the Clunes District Hospital. 
The announcement having been brought under the notice of the Central Board 
of Health, the secretary sent a letter to the committee of the Clunes Hospital 
informing them that Dr. Perceval was not eligible for the appointment, being 
unregistered. Section 13 of the Medical Practitioners Act prohibits any 
unregistered practitioner from holding an appointment as physician, surgeon, or 
medical officer in any hospital, and certificates signed by an unregistered practitioner 
are declared by the same section to be illegal. 
The Director of the College of Pharmacy has much pleasure in acknow- 
ledging the following additions to the Museum : — A specimen of cortex laricis, 
from Mr. C. It. Blackett; specimens — prepared by Mr. L. R. Scammel, F.C.S. — 
of a soft resin and the essential oil of sandal wood. Mr. Scammel treats the 
wood from Western Australia with carbon disulphide, which dissolves out 7 per 
cent, of oleo-resin from the root, or 5 per cent, from the trunk. This oleo-resin 
is then distilled under pressure, and yields 2 per cent, of the essential oil, of fine 
quality, and a viscid, brown resin. Mr. Scammel reports that Dr. Alexander 
Henry, of Adelaide, has tried the resin in his practice, and finds it to be more 
active therapeutically than the usual essential oil; so that, as Mr. Scammel 
wishes to bring it prominently under the notice of the profession, he will be 
glad to send a sample to any practitioner desirous of testing its efficacy. 
In the Legislative Assembly, on Wednesday, 20th October, Dr. Rose moved 
the second reading of a bill to provide for the registration of dentists. It was 
proposed by the bill to appoint a board to conduct examinations and grant 
certificates subject to provisions made by the Governor in Council. The board 
would consist of six members, half of whom should be medical practitioners and 
half dentists. It was also provided that a register should be kept containing 
an alphabetical list of names of bona-fide dentists, who should receive certificates 
enabling them to obtain fees, and sue for the same. Any man who used the 
terms dentist, dental practitioner, or dental surgeon, without being duly qualified 
under this bill, would be liable to a penalty. Chemists who had hitherto 
practised as dentists would occupy the position of being registered under the bill 
the same as other dentists. After the passing of the bill, however, it would be 
absolutely necessary that every person to be registered under the Act should 
