MISCELLANEA. 
443 
Ik was not sufficient for the directors to order that the work should be so performed as 
that no injury should be done to any third person ; they were bound to take care that 
their orders were obeyed, and they must be held liable for any violation of those orders, 
whether open or secret. The decree of the Vice-Chancellor must be affirmed and the 
appeal dismissed with costs.— Times , February 10, 1868. 
MISCELLANEA. 
Accidental Poisoning- by Morphia. —An inquest has been held at Worcester on 
an elderly gentleman from Birmingham, named Palmer, aged 64, who died at the Bail¬ 
way Inn in that city, from an overdose of acetate of morphia, administered to him by 
his housekeeper, Miss Parrott. It appeared that the deceased, accompanied by Miss 
Parrott, had been visiting some relatives at Hereford, and was on his return. At his 
request, Miss Parrott purchased at Hereford, of a chemist named Gay, a sleeping mix¬ 
ture, in using which she was cautioned to be careful. She gave him some of the drops 
on Monday night, and again on Tuesday night she poured him out another dose, which 
he took, but he became very ill, and she sent fora medical man. Dr. Williams deposed 
that, being called in, he found Mr. Palmer dying from the effects of a narcotic poison. 
The bottle was half full, and if it had been quite full in the first instance 360 drops 
would have been taken. He died soon after he (Dr. Williams) saw him. He added, 
that it was irregular for a chemist to send out so large a quantity without a doctor’s 
order. Verdict, “Accidentally poisoned.” 
A XSew Source of j&aphtba.—In the ‘ Athenaeum,’ February 15, 1868, we read— 
“The belief expressed by some geologists that naphtha would be found in the Caucasus 
has been realized. A boring 276 feet deep near Kuaaco, has struck a source of this 
liquid, which yielded 1500 barrels daily for one month; more recently a second source 
has been discovered near the former, from which the naphtha jets to a height of 40 feet 
above the ground, and flows out at the daily rate of 6000 barrels. 
‘The Pyengadow, or Iron-wood. —We learn that officers who conducted the 
survey made in British Burmah, in passing along the Beeling Valley, observed this mag¬ 
nificent tree growing on the hillsides. It is no uncommon thing to see the first branch 
of these trees at a height of eighty feet from the ground, the stem being perfectly 
straight up to that point. It is unfortunate that up to the present time no means have 
been found of making use of this timber, which, from its hardness, effectually resists the 
attacks of white ants and other insects. This valley is described as rich, and adapted 
for almost any cultivation. 
The Manufacture of Transparent Soap. —We learn from the ‘Times ’ that the 
manufacturers here of this article (which is largely made in France and exported) are 
precluded from entering into it by the restrictive measures adopted by the Board of 
customs and Board of Inland Kevenue. As a large quantity ol spirit is usecl in the 
manufacture of this soap, the high duty on this spirit renders it impossible to compete 
with the Continental maker, who has his spirits duty free. To remedy this, it has been 
proposed to prepare the soap in a free manufactory, until it is in a stage necessary for 
the introduction of the spirit, and then remove it into a bonded warehouse, where, under 
the supervision of the revenue officers, the spirit could be added, and the manufacture 
completed ; but in spite of repeated application to the Boards of Customs and Inland 
lievenue, the Board of Trade, the Lords of the Treasury, and the Chancellor of the Ex¬ 
chequer, nothing has been done. All admit the importance of the manufacture, but the 
ground on which the desired facility is refused is said to be this, “If we grant the pri¬ 
vilege to- one we must grant it to all. It is therefore better for you to manufacture 
your soap abroad.” 
Poisoning by Arum maculatum.— It is said that six children have been poi¬ 
soned by eating the berries of Arum maculalum , which they mistook for green peas. 
Poisoned Bread. —A baker at Baireuth having dismissed one of his servants, the 
latter, before leaving, mixed a quantity of arsenic with the flour. This was unnoticed, 
