50 
THE CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST OF AUSTRALASIA. 
Fee. 1, 1887. 
(£13). At Ovens District Hospital, Beechworth (£82), tenders 
are called from February 1 in each year ; from March 1 at 
Dunolly (£120) ; from April 1 at Bendigo Gold District Hos- 
pital, Sandhurst (£886) ; from June 1 at Horsham (£110) ; 
from June 28, 1886, at Mansfield (£25) ; from July at Kyne- 
ton (£87) ; from November 1 at Geelong Infirmary (£212) and 
at Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne (£122). 
The tenders are called every six months at the Ballarat 
Hospital (£559) from January and July; at Castlemaine 
(£169), Clunes (£158), and Daylesford (£121) ; from April 
and October at Pleasant Creek (£121) ; May and December at 
Eehuca (£63). 
At the Austin Hospital for Incurables, Heidelberg (£41), 
drugs are purchased in the ordinary way; at Nhill (£59), they 
are obtained from Melbourne ; from Melbourne wholesale 
houses at the Dpper Goulburn District Hospital, Woodspoint 
(£12), at Heathcote Hospital, and at the Carlton Hospital for 
Sick Children (£199) ; the Swan Hill Hospital obtains drugs 
of the best quality from Wm. Ford and Co. (£67) ; at Mary- 
borough (£80), medicine and drugs are obtained from Rocke, 
Tompsitt and Co., price list, best quality, five per cent, off (by 
agreement. 
At Maldon tenders were formerly called, but drugs are 
now supplied by the two local chemists alternate quarters 
(£34), at former contract prices; at Colac a similar arrange- 
ment is in force, the charge being 1/6 for each prescription 
(£ 68 ). 
^ The Homoeopathic Hospital, Melbourne, obtains its medi- 
cines in accordance with Gould and Martin’s price lists. 
<^tutcnts’ C0nrcr. 
^^Competition is the hest training'^ 
REPORT AND COMMENTS ON THE TENTH 
COMPETITION. 
On the question of the last competition we have had four 
series of answers, which is an improvement on the previous 
occasion, when there was only one set sent in. Those ten- 
dered on this occasion are about on a par with their prede- 
cessors, as regards average display of ability on the part 
of the competitors. There is still clear evidence of a 
general lack of systematic reading on the topics to which the 
attention of students is invited, indeed, the replies in some 
are exceedingly meagre, notably in respect to the botanical 
question. 
The results of the competition are as follows : — 
Full Marks— 100 
“Euc.\lene” .. 80 
“ Secundum Artem ” . . . . . . 78 
“ Dum Spiro Spero” .. .. .. 61 
“Ferrum” .. .. 55 
The first question on the paper seems to have secured 
more attention than the others, consequently it happens to 
be the one best answered, and that given by the two prize- 
winners are exceedingly good. Some salient points are 
omitted, however, so we will briefly point out the analogies 
and distinctive characters of the three substances named in 
the chemical question, adding by way of preface that “ Epsom 
Salts ” is synonymous with sulphate of magnesia. 
COMPARISON OF ZINC AND MAGNESIUM SULPHATES. 
1. Both are mineral salts similarly constituted, having the 
same acid radical in each case. 
2. They have both the same number of molecules of water 
of crystallisations (7 H2O). 
3. They both lose six of these molecules of water at a heat 
of 212 deg. Fah., and the remaining molecule at a higher 
temperature, thereby becoming amorphous and opaque. 
^ 4. Normally, they both assume the same crystalline form, 
viz., nearly rectangular prisms, and are therefore said to be 
isoraorphous. 
5. Both are freely soluable in water. 
6. Both are unacted on by sulphuric acid, and do not 
affect carbonates. 
7. Both cause precipitation with the following re-agents: — 
Chloride of barium, phosphate of soda, carbonate of ammonia. 
8. Reduced on charcoal, they each give a black sulphur 
stain to a silver coin. 
9. Both form double salts with potassium sulphate. 
In nearly all these respects, oxalic acid differs from both 
the above, for it is not a salt, has only two molecules of water 
of crystallisation, has a dift’erent crystalline form, is not nearly 
so soluble in water (1 in 9), is decomposed by sulphuric acid, 
re-acts on carbonates, but does not precipitate ammonium 
salts, nor soluble phos))hates. Yet it is poisonous like sulphate 
of zinc ; and in large doses causes emesis. Then again in 
former days the crystals of Epsom salts were coarse and 
large, and very much resembled commercial oxalic acid as 
now found in pharmacies. Charles Dickens in describing the 
Pickwick trial relates how Thos. Grofiin, the chemist, made a 
plea for exemption from attendance as a special juryman on 
the ground that his errand-boy was not acquainted with drugs, 
and that the prevailing impression on his mind was that 
Epsom salts meant oxalic acid. Many accidents have really 
occurred from the perpetration of such mistake. According to 
Christison, half-an-ounce of the acid will destroy life in one 
hour. Other special features of oxalic acid may be noted : — 
1. It has a sour taste, and other characters of acids. 
2. Causes effervescence with all carbonates. 
3. Crystallings in the form of oblique rhombic iirisins. 
4. Is volatile at high temperatures. 
5. Destroys the colour of ordinary black ink. 
6. Heated with oil of vitrol it evolves gaseous products, 
which will burn with a blue flame, and precipitate lime water. 
We will now contrast the isomorphous salts so liable to be 
confounded: — 
Zinc Sulphate. 
1. Has a styptic or astringent 
metallic taste. 
2. Similarly treated gives a 
yellow incrustation (of 
oxide) when hot, becoming 
white in the cold. 
3. Under the same circum- 
stances this salt assumes a 
green hue. 
4. Am HO. at first produces 
a white precipitate, which 
is soluble in excess of the 
re-agent. 
5. Ammonium sulphide 
throws down white sulphide 
of zinc. 
6. The same reagent (KiFe 
Cye) gives awhiteppt. 
7. Its therapeutic etiects are 
astringent, also emetic. 
Magnesium Sulphate. 
1. Possesses a disagreeable 
taste. 
2. Heated on charcoal before 
the blowpipe, yields no in- 
crustation. 
3. The residue moistened with 
cobalts nitrate, and ignited, 
leaves a pink mass. 
4. Ammonia hydrate gives a 
permanent white precipitate 
with a solution of Mg. SO 4 . 
5. Ammonium sulphide 
causes no precipitate. 
6. Potassium Ferrocyanide 
does not affect. 
7. Medicinally acts as a 
cathartic. 
The second question has been very badly answered by all. 
In one case three lines constitutes the answer ; in another, five 
lines. This is the gist of one af these: — “Plants get their 
food two ways, (1) from the earth ; (2) from the leaves which 
absorb moisture.” We are constrained to admonish candidates 
who content themselves with such replies, by quoting the 
familiar lines of Burns — 
Oh, wad some power the giftie gie us 
To see oursels as others see us ; 
It wad frae monic a blimder free us. 
And foolish notion. 
We have not space to do justice to this question, but for the 
student’s benefit we may state that all plants are composed 
chiefly of carbon, hydrygen, oxygen, nitrogen, and a few 
mineral ingredients or saline constituents. These latter are 
entirely derived from the soil, being taken in by the root 
fibrils by the process of osmosis. One candidate gives the 
exploded notion of t^pomjioles being the medium of absorption. 
But all the minerals must be in solution. The crude sap 
ascends to the leaves where it has to be elaborated in a very 
complex manner. The process is called assimilation. Air 
passes into the tissue of the leaf through the stemata ; the 
carbon dioxide is abstracted from the air, and under the joint 
influence of chlorophyll and sunlight it is decomposed, the 
carbon is made to unite with the elements of water from the 
sap to form nutrient materials for the elaborated sap which 
eventually deposits where necessary, various products, such as 
starch, gum, sugar, resin, oils, fruit acids, &c. Forformation 
of nitrogenous products such as gluten, legumin, &c., nitrogen 
is essential, and is derived from ammonia. Whence comes 
the ammonia ? It is evolved from putrifying animal and 
vegetable matter, and is washed out of the air by rain, either 
in the free state or in union with nitric acid, which in turn is 
