VoL. ii., No. 2. 
THE CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST OF AUSTRALASIA. 
51 
produced during electric storms. Thus carried into the soil, i 
it becomes absorbed by the roots of the plant, I 
A good point mentioned by “ Eucalene,” is that parasites i 
partake of nourishment which has been elaborated by another | 
plant. We might add that carnivorous plants derive their | 
nitrogen, not from ammonia, but from ready-formed albu- | 
minoids. j 
The question on rhubarb was fairly answered, but there i 
was no need to describe the root of the lUieum llhaponticiim. 
or English rhubarb, since the latter is not official. As regards 
cc»nposition, the chief ingredients are chrysoiffianic acid, 
rheotannic acid, oxalate of calcium (40 per cent.), and three 
resins named Aporetin, Erythroretin, and Plucoretin. It is 
difficult to say which of these several substances should be 
regarded as the active constituent. Evidently the variety of 
tannin present confers the astringent property, while probably 
all the other ingredients contribute to its activity as a 
purgative and stamachic. One student says that cathartin is 
the active principle of rhubarb ! We advise him to refer 
again to his books. 
The replies to the prescriptions are good, but the criticisms 
in some instances amount to cheese-paring ; for instance, the 
statement that Liquor Morph. Acet. is incompatible with 
Ammon. Garb. But four minims of dilute acetic acid can 
have little effect on 25 grs. of carbonate of ammonium, and 
even were the morphia precipitated, it would be dissolved in | 
the excess of water. Bum spiro .spcro” does not note the 
neutralization of acid and precipitation of quinine by the 
ammonia in Tr. Valerian Co. The translations are generally 
accurate, and the manner of dispensing passable. 
PRIZE AWARDS. 
The First Prize we award to Mr Chas. A. Finch, 204 i 
George-street west, Sydney ; and the Second to Mr W. J. 
Mervyn Molloy, c/o Mr Tipping, Bairusdale, Gippsland. 
Bepoiit upon the Eleventh Competition. 
(Questions set in December;. 
In this competition there were but three competitors, two of 
whom, however, have tendered answers of sufficient merit to 
claim a prize. The results are tabulated below : — 
Full marks — 50 
Diafoirus . . . . . . 42 
No Name . . . . . . H8 
Kalium . . . . . . 31 
Mr Valeris Brunetti, care of Mr. Thos. Huntsman, Nicholson- 
street, Fitzroy, gains the first prize, and a gentleman who 
neglects to send name or nom de plume according to the regu- 
lations gains the second prize. 
In regard to the chemical question, the evolution of car- 
bonic anhydride by the action of a mineral acid on marble is 
clearly understood, and the necessary apparatus is also 
described, but the knowledge of the modus operandi is rather ! 
vague in two instances. It is necessary that the lump of j 
marble be broken into small fragments, first, that it may be 
j)laced inside the Woulff’s bottle, and secondly, that the 
evolution of the required gas be facilitated. 
Further, it is equally necessary to dilute the commercial 
hydrochloric acid in order to remove the byeproduct (calcium 
chloride) from the surface of the marble. 1 
The proportion of dilution that answers best is 4 of water I 
to one of acid. No note is made of removing the air from the ' 
generating bottle before commencing to collect the gas. The ! 
gas may be collected over cold water in the pneumatic trough, 
notwithstanding the solubility of carbon dioxide in water 
(volume for volume under ordinary conditions). It may like- 
wise be collected by downward displacement of air, since the 
gas has a sp. gr. of 1*529 (air — 1). In such cases the gas 
may be dried over calcium chloride but when the latter is 
used as a dessicating agent it must first be fused so as to 
render it anhydrous. 
That C02 is displaced by G1 is not a correct idea of the de- 
composition that goes on. A better view is that the metal 
replaces the hydrogen of the acid, forming calcium chloride, 
while the liberated acid being a very unstable com- 
pound immediately resolves itself into carbonic anhydride 
which escapes, and water, thus : — 
{a) Ca C08 -f- 2 H Cl =: Ca Cl^ + H -2 COs 
{b} Ha CO:! CO 2 + H 2 0. 
The (]uestion on Venation though exceedingly simple, is not 
nearly so well treated as might be expected. One omits 
furcate venation, another calls it “ furcid.” This kind is well 
seen in the fronds of ferns. Only two candidates allude to 
the practical utility of regarding venation as a means of classi- 
fication (vide question). It should be remembered that the 
seed, the stem, the leaf and the symmetry of the fiower have 
certain correspondence in the two great divisions of flowering 
plants. “No name” properly notes the exception to the rule 
to be found in a number of plants, which, although possess- 
ing reticulated venation, are in reality monocotyleoons. 
These comprise no less than five botanical orders, mostly 
climbers, viz. : — Philesiascece, Poxburyhiacecc, Trilliacex, 
Smilacew (including the sarsaparilla aud a New Zealand plant 
llipogomim pariforum)^ and Bioscoreacece exemplified by the 
black bryony, the yam, and the remarkable tortoise plant or 
elephant’s foot tree, used «.s food by the Hottentots. Dr. 
Lindsey classified all these orders under one group, which he 
termed Bictyoyeme in allusion to the exceptional character of 
the leaves of these otherwise endogenous plants. 
The last question has evidently proved a rather puzzling 
one, and we confess it involves some difficulty in knowing 
where to draw the line. We append a list of plants, men- 
tioned in the pharmacopoeia, that are used in their entire state 
for yielding official products. They are arranged under three 
heads. 
Of all these only two (chiretta and cetraria) are named by 
“ Kalium lobelia is added by “No Name,” while “Diafoirus ” 
enumerates nearly all the above, but has not thought of the 
sources of indigo, litmus and iodine. 
/Cetraria Icelandica )whole lichen) 
Glaviceps pvrpurea (immature fungus) 
Direct J Lactuca virosa (fresh flowering herb) 
Exmtples j Lobelia injiata (dried flowering herb) 
Ophelia chirata (entire iflant) 
\SaccharomyceH cerevisim (whole fungus) 
^Garum A jowan . . ' 
Mentha arvensis. . 
Indirectly 
Named 
Incidental 
Examples 
Yielding essential oils, or 
steaioptens from oils — 
the oils being distilled 
from the fresh herb. 
,, piperita 
., viridis . 
Monarda punctata^ 
Ruta graveolens (oil from fresh herb) 
^Thymm vulgaris yielding steareopten. 
j” Seaweeds (unnamed) yielding Iodine. 
1 Lichens. ■* Litmus. 
\ * ( Indigofera sq). yielding Indigo. 
COMPETITION No. 13. 
Answers to the following questions have to be returned not 
later than March I5th. 
The rules and conditions to be observed will be found in 
our January number. 
The report will appear in the March issue of this journal. 
QUESTIONS. 
1. How could you prove the com jiosition of water — (a) by 
analysis ; (b) by synthesis. 
2. Describe fully the use and structure of pollen, and state 
any particular varieties it may assume. 
3. Enumerate the rhizomes contained in the Materia Medica 
of the B. P., and state the leading characters of those 
you name. 
Note. 
The replies to questions in competition No. 12 — erroneously 
marked No. 11 in last issue — must be remitted by the 15th 
inst. 
§irtbs, Hlarnaigcs, unb Scirtljs. 
Such notices, if properly authenticated, are inserted free of charge. 
BIBTH. 
Butter. — On June 18, at her residence. Kangaroo Point 
Queensland, the wife of Thos. D. Butter, of a son. " 
MAEBIAGES. 
Kahlbaum—Siecert.— On December 25th, at the residence of 
Gustav Kindermann, Esq., S.A., by the Bev. J. Woods 
Harry Kahlbaum, of Hanover, Germany, to Elsie Siebert 
of Nienburg, Wiser, Germany, 
