October, 1880. 
48 
THE CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST. 
as well if previously moistened with alcohol and then washed 
with water. Of course, either of them must be pressed tightly 
into the neck of a funnel. By this means perfectly clear 
water can be obtained in about five minutes. 
Chemically Pure Hydriodic Acid. — Winkler proposes, 
in the Ghem. Centralblatt , the following improvement on the 
usual method with sulphuretted hydrogen. Iodine is dissolved 
in bisulphide of carbon almost to saturation. The solution 
being poured into a tall glass jar, some water is added on top, 
in a proportion corresponding to the degree of concentration 
desired. The tube of the sulphuretted hydrogen generator 
is conducted to nearly the bottom of the glass jar. As soon as 
the sulphuretted hydrogen gas acts on the solution of iodine 
in the bisulphide, hydriodic acid is formed, which is im- 
mediately taken up by the water. The free sulphur, which in 
the ordinary method of making the above acid would separate, 
remains here dissolved in the bisulphide. As soon as the dark 
violet colour of the iodine solution has been replaced by a 
colour like sherry wine, the reaction is completed, and the \ 
glass jar contains a heavy, oily solution of sulphur in bisulphide i 
of carbon and an aqueous solution of hydriodic acid. It will, 
of course, be necessary to heat the acid to the boiling point for ! 
a short time, in order to free it from sulphuretted hydrogen 
gas . — Journal of Chemistry. 
At Greenwich, Henry Morton, chemist, Broadway, Deptford, 
appeared to an adjourned summons, at the instance of the ' 
Greenwich Board of Works, under Section 4 of the Adultera- | 
tion of Food and Drugs Act, for having mixed a drug, to wit, | 
tincture of quinine, with ingredients or materials so as to 
affect injuriously the quality or potency of such drug, by 
which he had rendered himself liable to a penalty of £50. Mr. 
Corden, inspector under the Board, said on 16th June he went 
to the defendant’s shop and asked for 3 ozs. of tincture of 
quinine, for which he paid Is. 8d. He divided it into three 
parts, and told the defendant it would be analysed by the 
public analyst. While he was getting the sealing-wax from 
his pocket the defendant took two of the bottles containing 
the samples and threw them away. He offered to mix him 
up some more, as he said he had made a mistake and put six 
grains instead of eight to the ounce ; but the witness took the 
remaining sample, and told him he should report the matter. 
The magistrate was handed the certificate of the public 
analyst, Mr. Wigner, showing that the sample was more than j 
60 per cent, deficient, some other comparatively worthless 
alkaloids being added. Mr. Marsham fined the defendant 
£5, with £1 costs. 
At the British Pharmaceutical Conference, after the reading 
of a paper on the “ Supply of Cinchona Bark,” the Pharma- 
ceutical Journal reports as follows upon an exhibit of a peculiar 
kind of bark by Dr. Paul : — “ Closely connected with the sub- 
ject of the foregoing paper was the exhibition, by Dr. Paul, of 
a peculiar kind of cinchona bark, with the object of showing 
that it is now no longer possible to arrive even at an approx- 
imate conclusion as to the value of a sample of bark from ! 
mere visual examination. Leaving out of account the fact 
that the officinalis, or crown bark, now coming from India 
contains a large amount of quinine, while that hitherto known 
as ‘crown bark,’ or ‘Loxa bark,’ from South America seldom 
contains much, if any, it is also to be noted that amongst the 
bark derived from South America it is equally impossible to 
judge of the value of a sample from its outward appearance 
alone. The old landmarks are no longer sufficient for indi- 
cating whether a bark is worth only a few pence a pound or 
the same number of shillings. Thus, for instance, the official 
‘yellow bark,’ or ‘flat calisaya,’ of the present day is rarely, 
what it used to be, but, on the contrary, seldom contains ' 
much or any quinine at all, and only a little cinchonine. 
On the contrary it often happens that bark of unusual or novel 
characters comes into the market containing an amount of qui- 
nine and other alkaloids that renders it intrinsically very 
valuable. In the case of the specimen exhibited this fact was 
well shown, for to all appearance it was of little or no value. 
It represented, a somewhat considerable parcel of bark that 
was imported in June, 1879. It did not recommend itself for 
making pharmaceutical preparations, and quinine manufacturers 
were disinclined to buy it at any price. However, the analysis j 
of the bark gave it a different character, showing that in 
addition to mere traces of quinidine, cinchonidine, and 
cinchonine it yielded nearly per cent, of sulphate of quinine, 
so that for either or both of the purposes above referred to it 
was an excellent bark, notwithstanding its unfavourable 
appearance.” 
Election Notices. 
TUHEREAS under the provisions of the Pharmacy Act, 
’’ 1876, and of the regulations made thereunder, I, 
the undersigned, ALBAN THOMAS BEST, was appointed 
to be the Returning Officer, and to conduct the Elections 
of Members of the Pharmacy Board of Victoria ; and 
whereas the office of a Member of the said Pharmacy 
Board has become vacant by resignation ; and whereas 
under the provisions of the said Pharmacy Act , 1876, and 
of the regulations made thereunder, the Returning Officer 
shall, upon being notified by the Board that an extra- 
ordinary vacancy exists, proceed to the ELECTION of 
ONE PERSON, being a Registered Pharmaceutical 
Chemist of Victoria, to serve as a Member of the Phar- 
macy Board of Victoria : 
Notice is hereby given that I will, on the Seventeenth 
day of November, 1880, proceed to the ELECTION of 
ONE PERSON, being a Registered Pharmaceutical 
Chemist, to serve as a Member of the Pharmacy Board 
of Victoria ; and also that if the number of persons- 
nominated as hereinafter provided for is greater than the 
number of persons required to fill the vacancy created 
as aforesaid, a poll will be taken on the Seventeenth day 
of November, 1880. 
Nomination Papers must be lodged or delivered by post 
at the office of the Pharmacy Board of Victoria, Mutual 
Provident Buildings, Collins-street, Melbourne, before 
four o’clock in the afternoon of the Fourth day of 
November, 1880. 
Dated this Twenty-second day of October, 1880. 
A. T. BEST, Returning Officer. 
TO THE REGISTERED CHEMISTS OF VICTORIA. 
Election of a Member of the Pharmacy Board of 
Victoria. 
T BEG to announce myself as a Candidate at the above 
J- election, and respectfully solicit support thereat. 
ALFRED B. CLEMES. 
Stawell, November 4th, 1880. 
TO 
THE REGISTERED 
CHEMISTS OF 
PHARMACEUTICAL 
-- VICTORIA. 
LJ.ENTLEMEN — Mr. Kennedy having resigned his 
^ position as a member of the Pharmacy Board, I 
beg respectfully to offer myself as a CANDIDATE for 
the vacancy created thereby. At the general election of 
members in February last you did me the honor of 
placing me in a good position on the poll. Should a contest 
take place at the present time I have every confidence 
that you will secure my return. 
I am, Gentlemen, 
Yours faithfully, 
Ballaarat. J. T. MACGOWAN. 
TO THE REGISTERED PHARMACEUTICAL 
CHEMISTS OF VICTORIA. 
T BEG to offer myself as a Candidate for the seat on the 
Pharmacy Board rendered vacant by the retirement 
of Mr. Kennedy. In once more seeking your votes, I 
take occasion to thank you for the very liberal support 
accorded me at the last election ; and having so recently 
waited on you by circular, I will now content myself with 
saying that my claims to your support are — that I represent 
Geelong, which, though chosen by the Governor in Council 
to be a represented district, at present has no member on 
the Board ; and, that I take a deep interest in everythin^ 
that can benefit and elevate our calling. 
I am, gentlemen, your obedient servant, 
ALFRED J. OWEN, 
of Bull & Owen, Geelong. 
Geelong, Nov. 4th, 1880. 
