March, 1880. 
THE CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST. 
85 
and that in consequence of the removal of the offices of the 
Pharmacy Board the society had also to remove. 
Mr. Jones complained that the Pharmacy Board had 
exercised an undue influence over the affairs of the society, 
and he moved that a committee be appointed to secure suit- 
able premises. He thought the society was not in a position 
to spend money in paying high rent for accommodation they 
did not want. The motion was not seconded. 
Mr. Bowen said that no proposition had yet been made to 
the society from the Pharmacy Board, who had taken the 
rooms, and if the society did not want the accommodation 
offered after the next meeting of the Pharmacy Board some 
definite proposition would be made, when it would be time 
enough to then consider the matter. 
Proposed Amendment of the Constitution and Lams . — 
A committee of the whole council considered the proposed 
alterations submitted by Mr. Brownscombe, and agreed upon 
certain amendments to be submitted to a general meeting of 
the society on the 7th May next. 
Alteration of Time of Meeting. — Mr. Macgowan gave notice 
that he would at the next meeting move that the meeting of 
the council be held at three o’clock p.m. in lieu of eight o’clock 
p.m. 
Finance. — In the absence of the hon. treasurer, the hon. 
secretary submitted a statement of the position of the 
society for the current year. The statement showed the 
financial position of the society to be in a very satisfactory 
condition. 
Correspondence . — Communications mere received from the 
folloming : — The Secretary Pharmaceutical Society , Great 
Britain, forwarding the calendar for 1880 ; A. Power , A. It. 
Dix, David Clark , Professor Maish , E. P. Jones , J. Henzen- 
roeder, Max Brown , R. G. Evans , George Wilson (Deniliguin ), 
Charles V. Florence , E. L. Marks , R. Hughes , S. H. Henshall , 
E. Beythein , A. B. Jefferson , J. De Castro , T. Phillips , 
E. H. Jackson , D. Lerew , C. A. Bundle , Warner and Scott , 
J. Whittle, P. J. Walsh , G. Wilson ( Portland ) , Max Pincus, 
E. Fyvie, W. H. Eager, F. Wheeler, J. Brownscombe, J. Holds - 
worth, G. F. Chamberlin, R. Cowl. 
Scientific Summary. 
From the Pharmaceutical and other journals this month we 
have very few matters of interest or novelty to report. 
To a limited number of persons, sneezing appears to be a 
pleasant operation, but those who find it excessively disagree- 
able will be glad to learn of a simple and cheap remedy, made 
known in the British Medical Journal by Mr. S. M. Bradley, 
surgeon to the Royal Infirmary at Manchester. It consists in 
placing a loose plug of cotton wool in the nostrils. In hay 
fever, in a dusty atmosphere, or in those stages of catarrh in 
which a cold atmosphere is irritating to the mucous mem- 
brane of the nose, this simple application is said to give 
immediate relief. 
An Italian correspondent of the Lancet calls attention to 
an insidious and frightfully fatal disease called “pellaga,” of 
which no less than 97,000 Italians are said to be dying at the 
present time, the number of victims representing 3*62 per 1000 
of the whole population, and in the infected departments, 
especially in Lombardy and Venice, a higher proportion than 
ever occurred during the worst cholera epidemic in France. 
The disease usually runs a slow course, like consumption. Its 
cause is believed to be the exclusive consumption as food of 
maize in a deteriorated condition, and the unhealthy state of 
the hovels in which the rustics live. 
Under proper treatment it would seem that aconite is by 
no means one of the most fatal poisons. In the British 
Medical Journal for 27th December an account is given of 
recovery after taking a teaspoonful of linimentum aconiti, a 
quantity nearly equal in strength to an ounce of the B.P. 
tincture. It cannot be too widely known that after an emetic 
has been given, or the stomach-pump used, the antidotes to 
aconite poisoning which have been found most effectual are 
strong stimulants, such as ether, brandy, ammonia, &c. 
In New Remedies for this month a new suppository mould 
is described and figured, which has the advantage of com- 
pressing the suppositories while the mould is opened, and thus 
preventing their breakage when made of cacao butter or other 
material of a friable character. 
In a note upon vanillin, in the Chemiker-Zeitung (18th and 
25th December), by Messrs. Haarmann and Reimer, regret 
is expressed that consumers of vanilla have been so slow in 
adopting the use of the vanillin prepared artificially by the 
oxidation of coniferin. On more than one occasion, however, 
statements have been quoted in this journal which, if correct, 
would fully explain this, to the effect that the artificial 
vanillin does not truly represent all the aromatic principle 
of vanilla. Nevertheless, in the present article the authors 
maintain that the artificial vanillin is not to be distinguished 
from the natural principle for which vanilla is valued, it 
being identical in melting point, crystalline form, smell, taste, 
and chemical reactions, whilst it can be produced much more 
cheaply. The amount of vanillin in vanilla varies from \ to 
2 per cent., and it is estimated that the annual consumption 
of vanilla amounts to at least 50,000 kilograms yearly, at 
a cost of £150,000. This the authors claim would be 
fully represented by 1000 kilograms of vanillin, costing 
£70,000. 
At a recent meeting of the Chemical Society Dr. Pavy 
brought forward a modification in connection with the test 
for sugar by the reduction of cupric oxide, which promises 
to be of service where the test is only occasionally used. In 
order to obviate the inconveniences accompanying the keeping 
of the usual test solution for any considerable time, he has 
sought for a method of bringing a mixture of the dry ingre- 
dients into a coherent mass, so that they might be kept in 
solid form. This has now been effected under his directions 
by means of pressure, and the product is a sort of pellet, which, 
when placed in about 3 c.c. of water, and heat applied, yields 
the clear deep blue liquid constituting the ordinary cupric 
test solution. 
The death is announced of Dr. William Budd, formerly of 
Bristol, whose name will long be honourably remembered in 
association with the investigation of the nature of typhoid 
fever. 
SANDHURST. 
SCHOOL OF MINES AND INDUSTRIES, BENDIGO. 
At the late meetings of administrative council the reports 
from the various instructors were highly satisfactory, and 
showed that a steady progress was continued to be made. The 
new chemistry lecture class shows a roll of 27, and the other 
classes are equally promising. 
Tenders were opened for a partition in mathematical and 
mining class-room, and for fencing off the school’s ground. 
The lowest tender — that of J. Waugh — was accepted. The 
architect was further instructed to advertise for tenders for 
additional fencing, and for outhouses, together with library, 
shelving, and presses. 
The council resolved to prepare an exhibit for the Inter- 
national Melbourne Exhibition of cakes of gold, representing 
one year’s yield of the Bendigo mines. The proper representa- 
tion of the lines of reef was discussed, and various suggestions 
made. The method to be adopted was left for further con- 
sideration after inquiries were made respecting the practica- 
bility of each proposal. 
The purchase of Exhibition cases, of a student’s microscope, 
and other minor requirements were authorised. The micro- 
scope will be of special importance for the materia medic a 
students. 
Amongst the donations acknowledged with thanks were 
the Science Directories , from the Science and Art Department, 
South Kensington : the Chemistry of Agriculture, from R. W. 
E, MTvor. Esq., the author ; the Quarterly Journal of the 
Microscopical Society of Victoria ; and The Chemist and 
Druggist, with Australasian Supplement. 
Mr. Vapland’s motion with regard to the salary question 
having been brought forward, a sub-committee, consisting of 
Messrs. Mendell, Hosking, Yahland, Ross, and the president, 
weio appointed to bring up a report at the next meeting. 
Accounts having been passed for payment to the amount of 
£116 10s. 2d., the meeting closed. 
