December, 1882. 
THE CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST. 
65 
numbering, so far as hitherto known, 1058 species in this part 
of the globe. As may be imagined, among such a host of 
forms, some must be of importance for medical purposes ; and 
as several species of Oxylobium and its sub-genus Gastrolobium, 
also of Isotropis of Gompholobium and its sub-genus Burtonia, 
as well as of Swainsona, have proved dangerous to pastoral 
animals, it will be worthy of inquiry, particularly where 
these kinds of plants abound, and thus ample material is 
available, in what chemically defined principle their powerful 
and even virulent efficacy may consist, the active matter 
having in no instance as yet been isolated. The well-known 
Abrus precatorius, which extends also to the intra- tropical 
regions of Australia, affords in its pretty seeds, as shown re- 
cently, likewise a very peculiar therapeutic remedy of lasting 
importance. The leaves of some of our native Cassias are 
violently drastic in their effect ; yet others need still to be 
tried as substitutes for Senna. 
Like in the ordinary European Laburnum the powerful 
principle is concentrated in the seeds, which yield the Alka- 
loids Cytisin and Laburnin, so also may perhaps distinct 
chemical combinations be traced chiefly to seeds of the above- 
mentioned Australian plants. Thus, then, it may become 
understood, why Lotus australis proves at times poisonous to 
pastural animals and at other times not. Even the long known 
and widely distributed Goodia lotifolia and Indigofera aus- 
tralis have recently been regarded by some settlers as dele- 
terious to stock. In the numerous country places, where now 
pharmaceutic establishments exist, these kind of plants, as 
readily and copiously at hand, might be subjected to chemical 
tests. If once their active principles are found out, it will be 
easier to institute physiologic experiments with them than 
with the crude plant. Subjoined is the definition of a new 
Bossiaea, a genus also worthy of chemical analysis of its 
seeds, approaching as it does in some respects Goodia, in 
others Oxylobium and its allies. The discovery of this new 
plant comparatively near a harbour, known since nearly a cen- 
tury, may also show, that the search for plants in Australia 
has nowhere yet been exhaustive. 
Bossicea Webbii. 
.Glabrous ; branchlets thin, neither compressed nor angular; 
stipules minute, deltoid ; leaves opposite, flat, renate-semi- 
orbicular, in front copiously denticulated ; flower-stalks 
extremely short; bracts very small, rhomboid, roundish, 
incurved; bracteoles longer than the calyx, fugacious, lanceolar, 
oblong, rigid, both parallel and curved over the upper side of 
the flower ; calyx very small, its upper lip almost truncate, 
about as long as the lower lip ; upper petal evidently longer 
than the others ; ovary narrow-lanceolar, stalked, glabrous. 
On the summit of Mount Lindsay, near King George’s 
Sound ; W. Webb. This pretty species comes nearest in 
affinity to B. Aquifolium ; but it differs essentially in dwarf 
stature, much smaller and more rigid leaves, which are neither 
grey underneath nor provided with large and sharply acumin- 
ated teeth, nor is the upper lip of the calyx deeply cleft, at 
least not at the time of flowering. Ripe fruit as yet unknown. 
B. Aquifolium I noticed on the Preston-River to be a very 
tall almost arborescent shrub. 
©bittmrp. 
CHARLES OGG. 
It is with deep regret that we have to announce the death of 
Mr. Charles Ogg, one of our earliest chemists. Mr. Ogg was 
born at Market-Resan, in the county of Yorkshire, in the year 
1827. After leaving school he was apprenticed to a chemist 
and druggist at Hull ; at the termination of his period of 
pupilage he found his way to London, and engaged as 
assistant to a surgeon in Oxford-street; then went to Mr. 
Pope Roach’s, a very respectable business. Subsequently he 
lived with the late John Garle, one of the examiners of the 
Pharmaceutical Society ; then with the well-known Henry 
Deane, and lastly with Godfrey and Cooke, Conduit-street. 
In 1850 Mr. Ogg emigrated to Australia. In those days there 
was little employment for pharmacists, and the subject of our 
obituary obtained employment as a reaper to a Mr. Horatio 
Cooper, of the Plenty, and “ was glad to get the job.” Wishing 
to return to his own business, he applied to a chemist in 
Elizabeth-street, who offered him “£1 a week and his tucker.” 
The young man who had lived with Godfrey and Cooke, 
thought himself worth, more than that, and left the phar- 
macy of that street with contempt. Then he went farming 
at Templestowe, and lost all he had, then to the “diggings,” 
where he was successful. In 1855 he bought a small business 
from a Dr. Barry, at South Yarra, and for many years carried 
on a very successful business. In 1873 Mr. Ogg started a new 
business in Collins-street East, which was, we believe, flourish- 
ing at the time of his decease. It is a curious coincidence 
that once in former years, when our friend was reduced to less 
than his last sixpence, in taking a walk up Collins-street he 
picked up a sovereign exactly opposite the place where his 
shop was to be. Mr. Ogg was a member of the Pharmaceutical 
Society, and, until his illness, a regular attendant at the meet- 
ings of the council. His advice was always listened to with 
respect, and he always supported measures which had for their 
object the elevation of the business. It was necessary to know 
him intimately to fully appeciate the sterling qualities which 
he possessed. His death, which was long expected by his 
friends, took place on 10th December, in the fifty-fifth year of 
his age. He leaves three sons of tender age to the guardianship 
of his friends and executor. 
EXAMINATION OP VASELINE. 
The petroleum derivatives variously called cosmoline, saxoline , 
petroleum jelly , &c., consist of those portions of petroleum 
which are soft or pasty at ordinary temperatures. They are 
obtained from the last distillate or from the undistilled portion 
by treatment with superheated steam, followed by filtration 
through animal charcoal. Vaseline is a colourless or pale 
yellow, translucent, slightly fluorescent, semi-solid. Under 
the miscroscope distinct crystals are visible, which become 
more numerous on application, if cold. It melts at 35 degs. to 
10 degs. C., and has a density of 0'8I0 to 0866 in the melted 
state. It is odourless, fixed at ordinary temperatures, but 
commences to fume at 160 degs. C., and distils under pressure 
with slight decomposition. It usually contains about one-half 
of one per cent, of moisture and a trace of ash. 
The following tests for vaseline and its purity are recom- 
mended by A. H. Allen, in his excellent treatise on Commercial 
organic analysis: 
Vaseline is insoluble in water, and nearly so in alcohol. In 
ether it dissolves freely, the solution exhibiting a strong blue 
fluorescence. It is also readily soluble in chloroform, benzine, 
carbon bisulphide, and turpentine. From these and its ethereal 
solution alcohol precipitates it, it is said, as a crystalline mass. 
Vaseline is miscible in all proportions with fixed and volatile 
oils. With glycerine it forms an intimate mixture which 
separates into its constitutents when warmed, the melted 
vaseline floating on the glycerine. 
Vaseline is a mixture of hydrocarbons, consisting chiefly of 
hydrides between C 16 H, 54 and C 20 H 42 , but its behaviour 
with bromine shows that olefins are also present. As a true 
paraffine it is neutral in reaction, and but little affected by 
chemical reagents. It is not saponified or otherwise acted on 
by alkalies, and is unaffected by hydrochloric or dilute nitric 
acid. Some samples blacken on treatment with cold concen- 
trated sulphuric acid, a reaction which indicates the presence 
of bodies other than paraffines. 
Vaseline does not oxidise or turn rancid on exposure to air, 
and this property, together with its indifference to reagents, 
renders it a valuable substitute for lard in the preparation of 
ointments liable to change, such as those containing sulphur, 
iodides, and compounds of lead, zinc, and mercury. For these 
and similar purposes it is well suited, especially as it appears 
to possess decided curative powers of its own. On the other 
hand, considerable local irritation has been observed to be 
caused by vaseline in certain cases, a fact which is not im- 
probably due to imperfect removal of the agents used in its 
purification. 
Tests for Purity. 
Good vaseline should be completely volatile when heated on 
platinum, without giving any smell of burning fat (acrolein), 
or rosin. When agitated with twice its measure of strong 
alcohol it should remain practically undissolved. The spirit 
should not acquire an acid or alkaline reaction, and should not 
give any notable precipitate on dilution with water. When 
agitated with cold concentrated sulphuric acid, diluted with 
one-ninth of its weight of water, vaseline gives no marked 
increase of temperature, and ought not to become very strongly 
coloured. When subjected to the saponification process em- 
ployed for the determination of hydrocarbons in fixed oils, 
