VoL. i., No. 2. THE CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST OF AUSTRALASIA. 
gardens : — Various seeds from the Eoyal Botanic Gardens, 
Rome; oi NjjmjyJirm odomta, from Dr. Bancroft ; from 
J. W. Stewart, Daintree River, a splendid sample of mangoes, 
gathered from plants originally supplied by him to the Society 
some half-dozen years ago ; from L. A. Bernays, F.L.S., 
plants, Beaiicarnea Sp . ; a hornhill from Hon. Jno. Douglas, 
C.M.S., Thursday Island; a load of manure from N. Corrigan, 
Ann-street, Brisbane ; two emus from the trustees of the 
Botanic Gardens. 
The overseer reported that he had potted off a fair stock of 
date plums, whampee, mangoes, Burdeldn plum, litchii, 
loc|uat, etc., etc., and he further reported that everything 
pleasurable to the eye for the season was in a vigorous state 
of progression. The most noticeable of the plants in bloom 
was undoubtedly the C/.v.sfu jistuht (the Indian Laburnum), 
this tree being especially beautiful on account of the magnifi- 
cent sight afforded by the yellow flowers, which formed a 
glorious and umbrageous bower. One crucial test of the 
climatic capabilities had l)een afforded in the Juplom nif/ra 
(walnut), which showed its anti-drought (ptalities by produc- 
ing excellent fruit, which was well matured, whilst the foliage 
liad the correct verdant hue, ai)pearing at the same time nice 
and healthy. 
It was further reported that the recent rains had been of 
wonderfully beneficial effect over all vegetation, whilst the 
downpour had been of such service to the dahlias, acalphyas, 
dracaenas, crotons, &c., that their forward growth showed out 
their rich green most conspicuously. In fact, everything was 
progressing as grandly as the most imaginative mind could 
Xmssibly wish. 
It was minuted that 701 plants had been distributed during 
the iDrevious month, either as exchanges, or to members, 
j:>ublic institutions, A’C., and the meeting closed after the 
election, as members of the Society, of Messrs. Chetwynd, 
Brisbane ; E. Palmer, M.L.A., South Brisbane ; John Coates, 
Bundaberg ; Wm. Royse, Dunedin, N.Z. ; and Wm. Pagan, 
Stanthorpe. 
SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 
(from our own correspondent.) 
The President of the Central Board of Health has stated 
that the vinegar used with the fish had nothing whatever to 
do with the recent cases of fish poisoning at Hackney. 
Professor Custance, director of the S.A. Agricultural Col- 
lege, and Mr. Jones, conservator of water, will visit Melbourne 
in a short time, they having been invited to attend the Vic- 
torian Royal Commission on vegetable products. Dr. Schom- 
burgk was unable to aceex^t the invitation offered him. 
At a meeting of the Chemical Society of London, held on 
December 3rd at Burlington House, Piccadilly, Mr. Luther R. 
Scammell of Adelaide was elected a Fellow of the Society. 
This is a x^urely scientific institution, which was founded in 
1841, and incorporated by Royal Charter. Professor Rennie 
of the Adelaide University, and ^Ir. Andrew Thomas, the 
assayer, are also Fellows. Mr. L. R. Scammell is the second 
son of Mr. L. Scammell, of the firm of Messrs. Faulding and 
Co., and has for several years had charge of the firm’s labora- 
tory and manufacturing department. 
The Adelaide correspondent of the Melbourne writes : — 
We have had some hot weather. We are xnex)ared to confess 
it. The thermometer on our hottest day rose to as high as 
112deg. in the shade, which corresponds to lOOdeg. of Mel- 
bourne heat. Our sun heat was registered as 173deg., but this 
is misleading, for instead of being taken with the ordinary 
white glass, it was taken with the bulb blackened, so as to 
concentrate the rays of the sun as much as possible. This 
foolish xffan, which always gives our outside tenix^erature some 
30 to 40 degrees more than it ought to be, secures for us an 
unenviable climatic reputation. I admit that our temperature 
usually ranges a little higher than that of Melbourne or 
Sydney ; but in the very hot weather there is little to choose 
betw’een the three cities. llOdeg. in the dr^* heat of Adelaide 
is quite as bearable as lOOdeg. in the muggy heat of Mel- 
bourne, or OOdeg. in the muggier heat of Sydney. Not one of 
them can be regarded as i^aradise when the glass stands at 
over OOdeg. in the shade. 
Sunstrokes, too, have been very numerous — due in nearly 
■every instance to the neglect of those x>i'ecautions which com- 
mon sense indicates should be taken in a hot climate. People 
come here with their English modes of dress, and persist in 
wearing black coats and black hats, when the doing so must 
be purgatory to their personal comfort, and perilous to their 
lives. 
Among minor troubles the existence of the codlin moth has 
been discovered in one or two of our gardens ; but vigorous 
measures are being taken to stainx^ out the ^.nd it is 
hoped that ere long they will l)e found to be effectual. 
The work of forest conservation is progressing most satis- 
factorily. Out of 170,000 trees xffanted last year 100,000 are 
doing well, and during the ensuing season something like a 
million will be available for distribution among 
farmers, to corporations, and district councils. It is believed 
that in a few years our climate will be considerably modified 
by the extensive areas of land in tlie north that will Ije covered 
with forest trees. 
VICTORIA. 
(from our own correspondent). 
The different local boards throughout the colony a short 
time ago received circulars from the Central Board of Hoaltli, 
requesting them to adox^t several model bye-laws which the 
board had formed for the full and supervision over 
places from which nuisances might arise, such as dairies, out- 
houses, and other corresx:>ondence already re- 
ceived by the board shows that the model bj^e-law.i are almost 
certain to be adopted in their entirety throughout the colony 
at no distant date. The object of the bye-laws is to ensure 
the x>i’Oper precautions being taken to prevent the spread of 
contagious diseases, such as typhoid fever, t&c., which is pre- 
valent just now. 
The following letter from the health officer, Mr. C. G. 
Casey, was read at the meeting of the Brighton Borougli 
Council, held on January 11th: — 
“Bay-street, Brighton, January 0, 1-SSO. 
“ The Worshipful the Mayor and Councillors of Brighton. 
“ Gentlemen — I havethe honour to submit herewith for your 
perusal my annual report on the sanitary state of the borough 
from the 1st January to 31st December, 1S85. 
“The borough has been, I am glad to state, free from all 
ex^idernic diseases during the time comprised in the report,- no 
general visitation of a contagious nature having occurred, 
though from month to month an occasional case of low fever 
has happened. These, however, have generally been amen- 
able to treatment. The number of births has been 171, of 
which 79 were males and 02 females, or an increase of 23 
over the preceding year, for which tire enlarged xroxmlation 
will account. The deaths have been 81 (an exactly similar 
number to those in 1884). Of these there were 47 males and 
34 females ; of the foregoing there were four in<xuests and 
one suicide, but no death from any contagious disease. I have 
pleasure at being able to rexrort that the year 188-1 has been 
unusually healthy, and would look for an iiicrease in this if 
the drains in the lower and more level parts of the borough 
were all channelled, to admit of their being constantly 
flushed with water, of which there is such an abundant 
supxffy* Much comxrlaint has been made of the exxrosed state 
of the xM'ivate baths at the south beach, whiclr are within a 
close view of the xrarties frequenting the adjacent x^ier. This 
nuisance would be met by the erection of a loftier fence on 
the northern side of the baths. 
“ I have the honour to be, gentlemen, 
“ Your obedient servant, 
“ C. Gavan Casey, Officer of Health.” 
The Public Service Board have certified to the Minister of 
Agriculture that there is no person i]i the pnblic service 
qualified to undertake the duties of Agricultural Chemist and 
perform work for his department. They have arrived at this 
decision after making the most searching inquiries throughout 
the public service, and ax)plications will now be invited from 
persons cax^able of undertaking the duties, outside the service. 
The successful ax^plicant will be appointed by the Govern- 
ment ; but he must hold a certificate from the Public Service 
Board that he possesses the needful qualifications for the 
X^osition. 
In consequence of scarlet fever having manifested itself in 
the family of one of the teachers who resides upon the pre- 
mises, the State-school at Horsham has been closed. 
The Victorian branch of the British Medical Association 
held a meeting on the 27th ult., in the hall of the Royal 
Society, Dr. Henry, the x^resident, in the chair. In the course 
