354 TRANSACTIONS OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY. 
The Proceedings of the Pharmaceutical Conference , 1S65. From tlie respective 
Societies. 
Manual of Materia Medica and Therapeutics , being an Abridgement of the late 
Dr. Pereira's Elements of Materia Medica. Edited by Dr. Farre, Professor Bentley, 
and R. Warington. From Professor Bentley. 
The Magic Lantern , How to Pug it and How to Use it. 
On the Successful Treatment of Flatulence , by a Novel Use of Charcoal. By 
Arthur Beared, M.D. From the Authors. 
Copland's Dictionary of Practical Medicine. From the Publisher. 
Lectures on Physiology , Materia Medica , and Practice of Physic. By George 
Fordyce, M.D. Manuscript. Transcribed by Jonathan Middleton for the late 
William Allen. From Mr. Daniel Hanbury. 
Dried specimens of Nicotiana persica. From Mr. Squire. 
Specimens of Essential Oils, Gums, R-esins, etc., obtained from the native plants 
of Victoria, Australia, and exhibited at the Dublin International Exhibition. From 
Mr. Joseph Bosisto, of Melbourne. 
COD-LIVER DRAGES. 
Mr. Squire called the attention of the meeting to the composition of the 
watery extract obtained from cod-livers. He had brought with him the ex¬ 
tract resulting from the evaporation of the water which oozes out of the cod s 
liver when extracting the oil. He finds that on the average 28 pounds of 
large and fresh livers yield 12 pounds of oil and 2 ounces of aqueous extract 
resulting from the evaporation of the water. It had been represented in 
the advertisements of a medicine called Cod-liver D rages, that 5 grains 
of the purified extract equalled a tablespoonful of cod-liver oil. It was this 
startling announcement that induced him to have the water collected and 
evaporated, in order that the members of the Society might examine the 
product and judge for themselves, and it it was thought worth while to 
have it analysed in their laboratory. He thought it was highly important to 
know whether or not we were throwing away so valuable a part of the livers 
as this statement indicated. 
A gentleman who attended from Messrs. Newbery’s, explained that the cod- 
liver extract was in no w r ise a secret or quack remedy. The method by which 
it was prepared, he said, had been patented, and he read the specification of 
the first of the two patents taken out by the proprietors. 
Mr. Squire wished to know how the value of the extract was estimated, so 
as to compare it with the value of the cod-liver oil. 
It was explained in reply that the amount of extractive and inorganic 
matters yielded by a given amount of the oil, and supposed to be the same as 
those contained in the extract, give the means of determining the relative 
value of the oil and extract. 
Hr. Attfield said he would not shrink from making the analysis sug¬ 
gested by Mr. Squire ; but he thought the question one on which chemistry 
could throw but little light. It was a matter for physicians, who observed 
the effects of medicines, to decide. 
Mr. Deane thought it was no business of the Pharmaceutical Society to 
take up the analysis of proprietary medicines. If one was alleged to be 
poisonous or dangerous, it was another matter; but in general it was no part 
of the Society’s business to expose nostrums. 
Mr. Squire replied that he had no wdsh to expose nostrums. In the pre¬ 
sent case it was asserted that this extract, which was usually thrown away, 
was much superior to the oil which wuis preserved, and he thought it of im¬ 
portance to establish the truth or falsehood of this assertion. 
Dr. Edwards contended that the discussion was one which the Society 
