BOOKS RECEIVED. 
543 
Spence Bate, F.R.S. ; ‘‘On Dental Nomenclature,” by Mr. Bridgman; and “On the 
Dental Characters of Genera and Species, chiefly of Fishes, from the Low Main Seam 
and Shales of Coal, Northumberland,” by Professor Owen, F.R S. 
We would suggest that in succeeding volumes it would be desirable to give, in addi¬ 
tion to the ordinary index, a list of the papers with the author’s names at the commeuce- 
ment of each volume. 
Our Schools and Colleges, containing Information respecting the Universities and 
nearly 2000 Colleges and Schools. By Herbert Fry, Editor of ‘ The Royal Guide to 
the London Charities,’ etc. Second annual edition. London: Robert Hardwicke, 
192, Piccadilly. 1868. 
A most useful, and, so far as we have been able to examine, a very correct guide, to 
our universities, colleges, and schools. All engaged in tuition may consult it with ad¬ 
vantage ; and no parent or guardian seeking for a school ought to decide without a re¬ 
ference to its pages. 
SUICIDE BY OXALIC ACID. 
An inquest has been held at Bristol on the body of Sarah Salmon, a barmaid, who 
died from the effects of oxalic acid. It appeared from the evidence that she must have 
swallowed nearly 6 draGhms of the poison, and death appears to have taken place in less 
than half an hour. No evidence as to the motive of the act was given, only that she 
was of a very violent temper. Dr. Herapath made a post-mortem examination of the 
body; he had also analysed the vomited matter, which he found to contain oxalic acid. 
Her blood was so altered in character that it was in fact insoluble; he had not seen an 
instance of poisoning by oxalic acid before, but he considered this one of the most 
rapid on record. The precipitation, darkening and curdling of the blood, observed in 
this case, were symptomatic of poisoning by oxalic acid. The jury returned a verdict 
of “Temporary insanity.” 
Dr. Herapath has supplied the following note on the above case :— 
“ 1st. The patient took f of an ounce avoirdupois. 2nd. She died ten minutes after¬ 
wards or very shortly after. 3rd. She tested the contents of her own stomach. 4th. 
She vomited almost all the poisonous material, as the coats of the stomach retained by 
absorption only 2 grains of the oxalic acid. 5th. There was nothing to be found in the 
contents of the stomach, which were merely effused blood. The stomach was intensely 
red inflamed in that short period. 
“ I say that she tested the contents of her stomach by having vomited into a bucket 
of water having a great quantity of lime in its solution. ‘ The vomited matter was like 
milk ’ when seen on the floor. ‘ And when she vomited into the bucket it appeared to 
turn the water into milk.' This did not come out in the evidence, as the girl vomited 
in the pail in which they were in the habit of washing the glasses and cups used in the 
bar, and of course the landlord did not want to damage his business by giving such evi¬ 
dence. The floor was wooden, not of stone, so that the oxalic acid was dissolved in hot 
water highly charged with lime, and it acted as an instantaneous emetic, and came up 
almost as it was swallowed, a milky-looking fluid, capable of precipitating a large quan¬ 
tity of lime.” 
BOOKS RECEIVED. 
Elements of Chemistry ; Theoretical and Practical. By William Allen Miller, 
M.D., LL.D., etc. Part 2. Inorganic Chemistry. Fourth Edition, with Additions. 
London : Longmans, Green, Reader, and Dyer. 1868. (From the Publishers.) 
Tea. By E. F. Bamber. London: Longmans, Green, Reader, and Dyer. 1868. 
The Chemical Manufactories’ Directory of England, Scotland, and Ireland. 
London : Sold for the Proprietor, by W. Kent and Co., Paternoster Row. 1868. 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Persons having seceded from the Society may be restored to their former status on 
payment of arrears of subscription and the registration fee of the current year. 
