74 
THE CHEMIST AND DEUGGIST OP AUSTEALASIA. Ape. 1st, 1886. 
'‘Some books are to be tasted, others to he sivallowed, 
Aiidsomefexo to be ckeiced and diaested .” — J3acon. 
The Victoelan Eeview, a monthly publication, emanating 
from Melbourne, has collapsed. 
Loed Salisbuey on Analytical Chemistey. — It is said that 
Lord Salisbury will shortly publish, probably in one of the 
magazines, an essay embodying the results of some recent 
work in chemical analysis. 
New Oegan foe Phaemaciens. — It is announced that a new 
French pharmaceutical journal, entitled Archives de Pliarmacie 
will appear shortly. 
Attfield’s Geneeal Medical and Pilaejiaceutical Ciiemis- 
TEY — We note that a new edition of Professor Attfield's 
standard work on chemistry is announced by Van Voorst. 
This excellent manual has already reached the eleventh 
edition, and the present one will include the chemistry of 
the new British Parmacopceia. When a book has reached so 
many editions we need not speak particularly of its undoubted 
merit — cela va sans dire. 
The Ameeican Jouenal of the Medic.ad Sciences, under a 
new guise, the International Medical Journal, has made its ap- 
pearance as a bulky volume. It is to be hoped that this new 
venture of a high-class medical journal will achieve greater 
success than some of its iiredecessors. 
The Melbouene TJniveesity Calendae. — This work, so 
necessary to students early in the year, was only, brought out 
in the middle of March. A glance at its pages was sufficient 
to show that it teemed with errata. In a few daj's so many 
glaring errors were discovered— errors that would lead to mis- 
apprehension and annoyance to undergraduates — that the 
Council ordered its immediate withdrawal. But who is re- 
sponsible for the tedious delay of the issue ? and then for the 
numerous mistakes in the volume? Is it edited by Mr. 
A’Becket, or by one of the professors ? Whatever official passed 
the proof and press sheets through his hands, the work only 
reflects disgrace upon the Council. Wrong dates, mis-spel- 
lings, and omissions of a time table, as well as other ridiculous 
blunders are almost unpardonable for the calendar of a Me- 
chanics Institution or Working Men’s College. But what can 
be said of a long-established University issuing a book so 
egregiously imperfect ? 
IcoNES Plantaeuh. — The fifth volume of the series of this 
work, edited by Sir Joseph Hooker, is now complete. It com- 
prises the description and illustration of new plants added to 
the Herbarium of Kew Gardens. The jiresent number contains 
illustrations and accounts of numerous siiecies of plants col- 
lected in Central and Eastern Africa as well as the Transvaal. 
It is interesting to note that one of the genera of the Banun- 
CULACE/E, recognised as a distinctly temperate genus, and not 
previously observed in tropical Africa, has been discovered 
on the heights of Kilimandjaro, about two degrees south of the 
equator, and at an elevation of 10,000 feet. 
The Extea Phaemacopceia (including the additions of the 
1885 British Pharmacopoeia), edited by Martindale and West- 
‘cott, is specially deserving of attention at the present time 
when so many pharmacists feel disappointed at the non-intro- 
duction into their standard volume of certain drugs and 
remedies they consider should have had a place. 
Medical Poesy. — Messrs. Maclachlan and Stewart are about 
to publish a collection of songs and verses by members of the 
well-laiown medical clubs in Edinburgh, many of which are 
familiar to the outside public as well as the medical profession. 
They may prove interesting also to the faculty in the colonies. 
Authoes’ Peofits. — We note that Ouida’s publishers pay 
her two thousand guineas per annum. How many scientific 
authors can point to such remuneration as this ? 
(l)uv ^fiooh Slxclf. 
^ 
The Austealian Handbook foe 1886, From the publishers. 
Kepoet on the Exhibits eelating to the Chemic.al Indus- 
TEIES in the InTEENATIONLVTj INVENTIONS EXHIBITION, LON- 
DON, 1885. By Watson Smith, Manchester. From the 
author. 
Official Catalogue of the Exhibits in the South Austealian 
CouET, Colonial and Indian Exhibition, 1880. From the 
Commissioners. 
Classification OF Exhibits and Plan of the Buildings of the 
iNTEENATION.'iL EXHIBITION OF InDUSTEY, ScIENCE AND AeT, 
Edinbuegh, 1886. From the Secretary. 
(ilcbictus. 
Aickin’s Annual : A Domestic Medical Guide and Colonlal 
St.atistical Becoed. 
This little manual well bears out its title. It is, we think, 
one of the best household guides for domestic remedies that we 
have yet met with, although their name is legion. The ar- 
rangement is alphabetical, according to their common English 
names. The drugs and preparations treated therapeutically 
number over two hundred. The description of the action of 
the remedies are simple and good, and altogether it forms an 
admirable home pharmacoiiceia. A copious index to diseases, 
with appropriate remedies — a few pages on personal hygiene 
— a list of antidotes to poisons — and some hints on the man- 
agement of infants — constitute excellent features in this little 
work of 170 j)ages. There is likewise a series of brief notes 
on some ten plants of medical value that are indigenous to 
New Zealand. Altogether, it is about the best shilling’s 
worth we have seen, for a work of the character it purports 
to be. 
The Auste.alian Handbook foe 1886. 
This Directory of 740 royal octavo pages is too statistical 
to give more than a brief review, founded on a cursory glance 
at its pages and an investigation here and there, as to the 
accuracy of the information found therein. 
Although designated the “ Australian Handbook.” it incor- 
porates New Zealand and Fiji as well as tlie recent British 
possession in New Guinea. It is a very instructive and inte- 
resting volume that must prove of immense value as a work 
of reference, not only to shippers and importers, for whom it 
appears to be largely compiled, but also to such of the general 
public as take an interest in the development and growth, 
commercially and educationally, of the British colonies that 
lie in or near the antipodes to Great Britain. Under each 
colony is found a complete list of towns, under each oi which 
is found a census, road and railway facilities, exports, imports, 
sources of revenue, public institutions, churches, banks, local 
publications, and such-like information. The capital of each 
colony receives an adequate share of attention. Such de- 
scriptions of cities and toAvns are after the style of Johnstone’s 
famous “Geographical Gazetteer.” Several excellent maxis 
are bound up with the book, showing for each colony railways, 
roads, townshqis, boundaries, — counties and shires. There is 
also one of London, which, however, is old and not extensive 
enough : that is to say, it does not show the outlying suburbs 
that have in recent years grown to such gigantic dimensions. 
The descrixitive summaries of the individual colonies are 
comxirehensive and accurate, and not only give a short his- 
tory, but its political divisions ; its capes, rivers, lakes, bays, 
harbours; its climatic conditions, vegetable x^roductions, geo- 
logical formation, nature of soil and agricultural returns ; 
statistics of population, religious and charitable institutions, 
education, university and schools, libraries, railways, ship- 
Xiing, manufactures, revenue, lighthouses, banks, building 
societies, together with the constitution of Government, con- 
stitute the more salient features of such introductory matter 
to each colony. 
The article on New Guinea, which occuxiies fourteen closely 
Xirinted pages, together with an excellent map, of the island, 
showing the limits of the British, Dutch and German pos- 
sessions, will doubtless supply a want in view of the pros- 
pective development of this new colony. That the informa- 
tion is up to date is shown by the record of Sir Peter 
Scratchley’s death, on December 3rd last, as well as other 
items to be found within the pages of this useful handbook. 
Yet we cannot close our notice without condemning toto ccclo 
the interspersion of advertisements in the letterpress of the 
book, especially when stuck in at the middle of an article. 
Even the back of the title iiage as well as the preface is dis- 
figured by such advertisements. Surely three hundred and 
thirty-nine pages of advertisements bound up in the begin- 
ning and end of the volume ought to satisfy the publishers with- 
out introducing bills about liats, gloves, paints, x^ickles, and 
tobacco in the middle of the text. 
J. B. L. M. 
