14S 
PHARMACY AT THE DUBLIN EXHIBITION. 
The Secretary of State for India lias sent to tlie Exhibition a most 
comprehensive collection, illustrating the mineral vegetable and animal pro¬ 
ducts of the country. This case is one of the most interesting in the colonial 
department, and its contents are well worthy of study. The collection of 
seeds producing fixed oils and of the oils themselves is particularly complete 
and instructive. The oils are placed in tubes of clear glass, which are en¬ 
closed in the boxes comtaining the seeds, so that each seed is placed in jux- 
taposition with the oil which it furnishes. Thus we have Linseed from 
Bombay, Bengal, and Mirzapore, Rape from different provinces, Mustard, 
Sesame, Ren (Moringa pterygosperma ), Loppy, Safflower, Ramtil (this, the 
seed of Guizotia oleifera is apparently what is known in English commerce 
as Niger seed”), Cucumber, Ground nut (Arachis liypogea), Pumay (Caulo- 
phyllum inophyllum) , and Poonga (Pongamia glabra). Among the fats or 
solid oils are “ Vegetable Wax from Castor Oil,” (a product about which it 
would be desirable to learn something), Kolcum Rutter (Garciniapurpurea), 
and Illoopie and Mow ha oils, the products respectively of two species of 
Russia'■ latifolia and longifolia. There is also a specimen of Pinay Tallow 
(Valeria In died). I do not know whether this specimen is in the solid state 
or not; if it be, it is remarkably transparent and looks more like very fine resin 
than a fat. Pinay tallow is, however, said by Babington to fuse at 97° E., 
and as the temperature in the Exhibition building cannot now be far short of 
this, I do not feel very certain about it. The fat certainly is worthy of being 
examined; Muspratt says, that candles made with it do not evolve acrid va¬ 
pours when extinguished. Perhaps we may look here for a new glycerine. 
Specimen of Cashew Nuts (Anacardium Occident ale), Marking Nuts 
(Semecarpus Anacardium) , and Soap Perries (Sapindus emarginatus) are 
also shown. In the collection of spices, a few products are shown which are 
novel, as for example Tejpat Leaves, the produce of a Cinnamomum, and a 
few others which are scarcely classed under this head in Europe, as Mint 
Leaves and Cubebs. 
The Materia-Medica collection is very extensive, and besides containing 
specimens of all the Indian drugs known to British Pharmacy, includes a 
vast number of others which are unknown even by name in this country. 
In the collection sent by Mr. Simmonds to represent the products from 
Lagos, are Rguse and Tallicoonah Oils, Rene Oil , and Ground-nut Oil (Ara¬ 
chis liypogea). 
In the very fine general collection from the Mauritius, Vanilla is, of 
course, conspicuous. Some of the specimens are particularly beautiful, and 
nearly all are covered with the efflorescence of the active principle vanillin, 
or are, as the French say, givree. The strictly pharmaceutical part of the 
Mauritius collection is, however, included in a small case sent by Dr. Louis 
Bouton, and which contains a number of medicinal plants indigenous to the 
island.. These are not very well shown, being indeed wrapped in parcels, and 
packed tightly into the case. Dr. Bouton has, however, sent a number of 
copies of his work, ‘ Plantes Medicinales de Maurice,’ which I can recommend 
to any of my readers who may be interested in the subject as a most compen¬ 
dious and clearly written book. Dr. Bouton has arranged the plants under 
their Natural Orders, and the plan of description is very much to be com¬ 
mended. He gives the generic name and its etymological origin, the specific 
name, the habitat, and the distinctive characters; then the local name, and 
its English, Irench, and Indian synonyms. It must be understood that the 
book is not merely made up of so many pages of dry botanical description, 
but contains a vast amount of useful and interesting information on the pro¬ 
perties ot plants, with which we are at home either in total ignorance, or about 
which we have very imperfect knowledge. 
