8 
THE CHEMIST AND DEUGGIST OF AUSTEALASIA. Feb, 1st, 1880. 
Blue Gu^r to the Front. — Here is something which should 
attract Australian attention. Under the heading of “ A New 
Use for Eucalyptus Trees” an American Journal says; “ The 
patenting of a process for the manufacture of a preparation of 
the gum of Eucalyptus Globulus, which has the effect of 
thoroughly removing the scales which form on steam-engine 
boilers, and of preventing rust and pitting, has created a 
largely increased demand for it both in tiiis country and 
Europe. The effect of this preparation, in preventing the 
pitting or corrosion of boilers will, it is expected, extend the 
period of their usefulness 100 or 150 per cent., and at the same 
time effect a great saving in fuel, as scale is a non-conductor 
of heat. The company owning the patent, at Redmont (Cal.) 
has also embarked in the distillation of essential oils of the 
Eucalyptus Globulus, which have heretofore been supplied by 
Australia, it being found that they can be reproduced at a 
l)rofit. With this object in view the company proposes to set 
out extensive forests of Eucalyptus trees, in order to have at 
its command a sufficient supply of leaves, the portion of the 
tree consumed in the manufacture of the oils. 
M. Pasteur is daily receiving fresh accessions of ladies and 
gentlemen and children who have been bitten by mad dogs. 
Tlie space at the hospital for these patients is getting scarce, 
and, says an exchange, it will soon bo necessary to have a 
special hospital for the hydrophobia patients of Pasteur. 
Australia Produces the Giant Topaz. — There is nowon 
view at the Melbourne Exhibition Building for a few days 
prior to its being forwarded to Europe, a giant topaz, sup- 
posed to be the largest in the world. The Argus says it has 
the perfect crystalline form, and weighs over 4Ib avoirdupois. 
It was found by the owner in alluvial tin-drift, at a depth of 
‘6 feet from the surface, on one of his tin mines at the East 
Coast, Tasmania, in 1883. The name of this giant gem-stone 
is “ Kateena Lienna,” the Tasmanian native name for “ light 
of the sea.” Accompanying it is a photograph of the gem, 
and also a photograph, taken by Mr Wintle, F.L.S., of the 
spot where it was found, with men engaged in tin-mining 
operations. Beside it are several smaller topazes, showing 
the size and form in which they are usually obtained. 
Beef v. Hujian Flesh.— The and Surgical Reporter 
of Philadelphia says : — “The cow eats the grass and lies down 
to chew the cud ; the man bolts his dinner and rushes to his 
business. The cow usually lives lier allotted time, unless car- 
ried off by some acute, contagious, or infectious disease ; the 
man becomes a martyr, first to dyspepsia, and secondarily to 
some disease of malnutrition, and dies very prematurely.” 
Artifici.al Eogs. — Recently the provision dealers in Patter- 
son, N.J., have had many complaints about eggs. One 
dealer had an alleged farmer arrested and fined for selling 
ancient eggs that had been treated in some way so as to look 
like fresh eggs. Another dealer tried some eggs, and found 
that the shells were made of plaster of Paris, and the interior 
of a chemical mixture. Several provision dealers say there is 
a factory in New York for manufacturing artificial eggs ; but 
others say the eggs are limed. 
Typhoid P'ever.— The mortality returns, and the records of 
the principal hospitals (says the Sydney Morning Herald of 
January 12), show that the number of cases of typhoid fever 
increases year by year. The present outbreak is seemingly 
the worst experienced by the city and suburbs for some years, 
and is much more severe than the outbreak of last season. A 
number of principal medical practitioners of the city and 
suburbs, who have been consulted as to the cause of the in- 
crease of the disease, are of opinion that it is due to the 
existence of numerous cesspits, to imperfect drainage, to the 
insufticiency of the water supply for flushing drains, to accu- 
mulations of filth being allowed in the vicinity of some of the 
houses where the disease has appeared, and to the disregard 
in other ways of sanitary laws. It is thought, too, by many 
that the existence of cowyards and dairies in the city has 
something to do with the spread of the disease. About this 
time last year there were in the four principal hospitals 86 
persons suffering from typhoid fever; now, however, there 
are no less than 102 typhoid patients in the same institu- 
tions. 
The Industrie Blatter says that Ikpiid amber, when used as 
a mounting medium, should be first dissolved in an excess of 
a fluid consisting of equal parts of benzine and alcohol. It 
may then be filtered and the solvents driven off by heat, 
btyrax, which has also been recommended time and again as 
a substitute for Canada balsam, should first be dissolved in 
chloroform, filtered and evaporated to a proper consistency. 
When ether has been used to swell bleached shellac previous 
to solution, great care should be taken to get rid of all surplus, 
as otherwise it interferes with the subsequent solvent powers 
of alcohol. Some shelled shellac upon which alcohol had 
been poured without this precaution, remained unaltered for 
a month. On pouring out the fluid and drying the shellac in 
a cloth, it dissolved almost as soon as it was put into fresh 
alcohol. — Xational Druggist, 
Tiie New Anaesthetic, Coco.vine. — Charles U. Bradley, 
a Chicago physician, has become insane by the use of the 
new anajsthctic cocoaine, and has physically ruined his wife 
and five cliildren by experimenting upon them with the drug. 
This anjesthctic has every appearance of becoming altogether 
too popular as an antidote for liay fever and similar inflic- 
tions, for it is almost as noxious as either opium or alcohol, if 
indulged in immoderately. 
Euc.vLYri'us Toilet Vinegar. — 
Acetic Ether . . . . . . • • 5 j 
Concentrated Acetic Acid . . , . x iv. 
Tincture Eucalypt . , . . • • '5 j 
. Cologne _ 2 pints, 
This IS a hygienic remedy, refreshing, removing and pre- 
venting redness of the skin, and is a fine perfume and disin- 
fectant. V It is used by adding a few drops to the water used 
for the bath or to sprinkle about the room. 
A J apanese microscopist suggests India ink as a most excel- 
lent material for coloring injections. It mixes well with the 
gelatin, is excessively fine, and consequently will pass into the 
smallest capillaries without any trouble. It is said also to 
have no tendency to exude or spread into surrounding tissues. 
I used it several years ago as an aid to the study of the internal 
organs of i nfusorians, and w as much pleased with it. 
.^ubenis’ Cornpr^ 
We propose to devote part of our space monthly to students 
in the ranks of pharmacy. 
Their position is not altogether an easy one. Too often 
isolated, and without the stimulus of intercourse with others 
engaged in the same occupation and studies, they find them- 
selves baffled by difficulties that are easily surmounted with a 
little help, and are tempted to waste time that could be profit- 
ably and pleasurably spent in preparation for the enforced 
curriculum. 
Formally years the “Student’s Corner” has been a much 
appreciated feature in The Chemist a))d Druggist. 
The competitions have been open to all, and some continental 
students have engaged in them, but the great distances have 
prevented the entrance of colonial competitors. Although this 
matter has engaged our attention, we have been unable, to our 
regret, so to arrange the regulations as to do away with this 
difficulty. We now bring the “Students’ Corner ’’ to the very 
doors of our Australasian supporters, and we trust that many 
students will avail themselves of the advantages it offers. 
For the present, the competition will consist of written 
exercises. 
Questions will be set each month relating to chemistrv, 
botany, and materia medica. Replies must be written on one 
side of the paper only. Each sheet should bear some nom de 
plume or motto, and an envelope bearing the same legend, 
and containing the competitors’ real name and address, should 
accompany it. 
Replies must reach this office not later than February 15. 
This long interval is fixed to give students in the more distant 
districts a chance of competing. 
All papers will be examined by some competent authority, 
and the result will be published in our March number. The 
n^mes of the successful candidates will be published, and the 
mottoes or nonis de pilume of the others, in order of merit. 
The prizes, to consist of books, published at about the \valuo 
of 10s. for the first, and 5s. for the second, will then be 
forwarded to the winners as soon as their choice can be ascer- 
tained. 
QUESTIONS. 
1. Describe what occurs when zinc is treated with dilute 
sulphuric acid ? Give an equation illustrating the reaction 
and calculate the weight of all the products from ten troy 
ounces of metallic zinc treated in this way? 
! 2. Describe all the principal parts of a^flowering tree, such 
as the eucalyptus or magnolia ? 
3. Mention the botanical source, natural order, habitat, 
and method of preparation of opium, and Socotrine aloes ? 
