VoL. ii., No. 2. 
THE CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST OF AUSTRALASIA 
89 
While alluding to snakebites it may not be out of place to 
-draw attention to the following extract from the Western Star\ 
— “ An old bushman, who used to catch snakes for pastime, 
says that a raw onion bruised and applied as soon as possible 
to the wound is a certain cure for the bite of all venemous 
serpents of Australia, except the death-adder, which he 
admits is so poisonous and its poison so quick in acting that 
there is no known remedy for it. That the onion is a specific 
lor the sting of poisonous insects of all kinds has long been 
known. It was found that the application of onion-juice 
would instantly allay the pain caused by the stings of all 
venomous insects.” 
Intense Heat. — It may interest persons residing outside of 
South Australia to know what we experience occasionally as 
regards the readings of our thermometers during the summer 
months. On Friday, January 7, the maximum temperature 
recorded was 162 ° in the sun, and 106 ® in the shade ; Saurt- 
day,' January 8th, it stood at 157'3 ° in the sun, and 110*1 ° 
in the shade ; while on Sunday, January 9th, we reached the 
highest record for the season, viz., 161® in the sun, and 
111*2 ® in the shade. These records are taken from the Ob- 
servatory register, and similar high readings were general 
throughout the colony. 
The Agricultur.al College. — Professor Custanee, owing to 
some friction with the Grown Lands Department, has ten- 
dered his resignation as principal of this college. Mr. Moles- 
worth has been appointed acting-principal, pending the ar- 
rival from the old country of a professor of agriculture to take 
Professor Custance’s place. Efforts are being made to retain 
the services of Professor Custanee in the colony, by establish- 
ing an institution somewhat similar to the above, in another 
portion of South Australia. 
Manufacturing District. — The township of Wingfield, on 
the Dry Creek loop-line, about two miles from Port Adelaide, 
has been proclaimed by the Governor a manufacturing district. 
This district provides sites for at least eighteen trades which 
are regarded as obnoxious, such as boiling-down establish- 
ments, soap works, chemical works, &c. 
The Codlin Moth. — This pest has recently made its appear- 
ance in several orchards and gardens in and around the city. 
It appears almost a certainty that it was introduced in im- 
ported fruit or pulp, as it has made itself first visible ^ in 
gardens adjoining several jam factories. Steps are being 
taken to prevent a further spread of this plague. 
Art and Pharmacy. — The following is from a recent edition 
-of the] S.A. Advertiser. The gentleman referred to is, it is 
almost needless to say, a chemist in the suburb named, and 
is a member of the Pharmaceutical Society’s Council *. — “ We 
have seen at Moncton’s rooms two pictures in oil painted by 
a local artist, Mr. J. White, of Kent Town, in which there is 
evidence of artistic skill that will bring the painter into public 
notice about the time of the Exhibition, for which, we under- 
stand, he has a work now on the easel. One of the pictures 
to which we allude is entitled, ‘ A May Morning in Devon,’ 
and depicts a follower of Izaak Walton seated in a shady 
nook over a stream in which silvery trout would disport them- 
selves. A glint of the morning sun is breaking in through a 
gap in the foliage on the left, and the whole picture faithfully 
embodies the subject. On the second canvas is a view of sun- 
rise on the summit of Mount Blanc, whose snow-tipped crown 
stands conspicuously out from the mists and clouds that 
surround it, and in the foreground are seen two spectators 
who have just reached the rocky eminence which defines the 
line where vegetation ceases. Both pictures have been pur- 
chased by a local art connoisseur.” 
Adelaide Hospital. — From statistics recently published I 
gather that, during 1886, there were admitted into this institu- 
tion 1878 patients ; average daily number of patients treated 
was 171; deaths, 161; number of out-patients who attended was 
10,320. Fees received for the maintenance of patients was 
£565 19s. lOd., and the amount of contributions £1277. The 
■expenditure for the year was £9,679 8s. 6d. The Government 
have decided to expend £3000 on improvements and altera- 
tions to the Hospital, which will make the building as near 
perfection as it is possible to make one of its peculiar con- 
struction. 
Poisoning Cases. — A married woman residing at Glanville, 
-a few days ago attempted to commit suicide by taking a large 
dose of acetic acid. Medical aid was sought and after some 
hours the woman recovered. Previous to the occurrence 
some words are said to have passed between the husband and 
wife. 
A man, James Keinan, was recently poisoned at Rum 
Jungle, Northern Territory, by the accidental drinking of 
some carbolic acid out of a sauce bottle, in mistake for rum. 
The unfortunate fellow died from the effects, and the jury 
returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased came to his 
death by drinking carbolic acid in mistake for rum. 
The University of Adelaide. — The twelfth common oration 
of this University took place on Wednesday, December 22nd. 
The Chancellor (His Honour the Chief Justice) presided, and 
His Excellency the Governor was also present. The Chan- 
cellor delivered an interesting address, referring to the very 
great importance of the institution. Professor Tate gave the 
annual oration, the subject being “Technology.” The whole 
proceedings passed off with great eclat. 
Patent Case.— A Patent Court was held before the Com- 
missioner of Patents on Thursday, January 18th, to decide 
the application of Mr. F. W. Wittwer for a patent for a pro- 
cess of obtaining tannin from the dry stalks, branches and 
leaves of the wattle, mimosa and other tannin-producing trees 
and shrubs, Mr. J. H. Symon, Q.C., M.P., with Mr Von 
Doussa, instructed by Messrs. Conigrave and ColJ^^, 
appeared for the applicant, and the Hon. C. Mann, Q.^» 
Crown Solicitor, with Mr. Beyer, instructed by Mr. F. H. 
Snow, for Messrs. J. M. Borrow and J. H. Haycroft, who 
objected to the granting of the patent on the ground that the 
process was similar to that for which they had previously 
been granted a patent. The case was decided on January 
25th, when Mr De Mole, the commissioner of Patents found 
the only difference in the two processes was the production of 
a dry material by Mr Wittwer in lieu of a semi-liquid, 
the result proposed to be obtained was the same. It had 
been decided that when a patent was granted for a new result, 
and the process was described, it was protected by the patent, 
and no person without infringing the patent could adopt 
simply a different process for arriving at the same result. 
He therefore upheld the objection lodged by Messrs Borrow 
and Haycraft, and ordered the applicant (Mr Wittwer) to pay 
to the objectors £34 13s., costs attending the objection. 
The Horse Epidemic.— The epidemic among horses, said to 
be influenza and pneumonia, has broken out at Silvertom 
The treatment recommended is as follows : — First day 30 
grains chlorate of potass or nitrate of potass in 3 quarts of 
water three times a day ; no hard food, but warm bran 
For swelling in the head and legs, warm fomentations. The 
second day the horse may be given a little chaff, but no oats. 
The drinking water should be mixed with oatmeal— two double 
handfuls to a bucket of water— and the saline draught may be 
given twice instead of three times. Subsequently the 
ment may be varied according to the progress made by the 
animal towards recovery. 
ACTION FOR WRONGFUL DISMISSAL. - 
At the civil sittings of the Supreme Court on January 25, 
before His Honor Mr. Justice Bundey and a special jury, Mr 
F. E. Grundy sued Mrs. Josephine Geyer for damages for 
wrongful dismissal. 
The plaintiff has been acting as manager for the defendant 
of Geyer & Co.’s business as chemists and druggists, at Hind- 
ley-street, Adelaide. He claimed £500 damages for wrongful 
dismissal, £500 damages for alleged libel, and £19 for wages 
said to be due. Defendant is the widow of the late Mr. F. W. 
Geyer, and Mr. Alfred Bonnin, solicitor, who is^ her brother- 
in-law, had acted as her agent in the proceedings with the 
plaintiff. A counter-claim was entered for £18 10s., in respect 
of the plaintiff having wrongfully appropriated to his own 
use moneys belonging to her, and for £1000 in respect of losses 
and damage which defendant was alleged to have sustained 
owing to plaintiff’s mismanagement of the business. De- 
fendant further denied the allegations contained in Grundy’s 
claim. 
Mr. W. V. Smith, with Mr. R. G. Moore, appeared for the 
plaintiff; the Crown Solicitor (Hon. C. Mann, Q.C.), with Mr. 
Harold F. Downer and Mr, M. S. Rowe, for the defendant. 
The facts are set out in the evidence as follows : — 
Francis Edgar Grundy, the plaintiff, said that he had been 
a chemist and druggist for thirty-seven years. For the last 
thirty-one years he had been in the employ of the present and 
past members of the defendant’s firm, twenty-four years with 
Main and Geyer, and since the dissolution of that firm in 
I September, 1882, with the defendant. On July 26, 1882, 
