94 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
Natural Order, Name, and 
Geographical Source. 
Ranunculace^e. 
Aconitum Napellus. 
Monkshood. 
Europe. 
Fr. Aconit Napel. 
Characteristics. 
Root— Tapering rapidly, 
with fibrils. 
Colour — Ext. coffee-coloured. 
Int. yellowish-brown. 
Odour —Faintly narcotic. 
Taste —Acrid ; numbing. 
Leaves —Large, much divided. 
Properties and Active 
Principle. 
Narcotic; sedative; 
Aconitia. 
In this part of the work we notice some omissions and errors, thus, Illicium anisatum, 
as one of the botanical sources of Oil of Anise, Oil of Juniper, Arnica, the Oils of Laven¬ 
der, Rosemary, Peppermint, and Spearmint, together with the plants, etc., from which 
they are derived are not referred to here, which would have been their proper place, but 
afterwards amongst the Non-officinal articles of Materia Medica. No notice is given 
anywhere of Calabar Bean, Oil of Rue, and Indigo. The source of Savanilla Rhatany is 
incorrectly given as Krameria triandra , and such articles as Quassia wood from Quassia 
amara , ordinary East India Senna, etc., are not officinal, and are consequently wrongly 
treated of here. But with these exceptions and some few other errors of minor impor¬ 
tance which we have noticed, and which can be easily rectified in a new edition, the au¬ 
thor’s descriptions, etc., are deserving of much praise for their clearness, terseness, and 
general accuracy. 
A similar plan of arrangement, although necessarily modified' according to circum¬ 
stances, is adopted in treating of the other subjects ; thus, Botany is divided into three 
heads, namely, Structural Botany, Classification, and Physiology; Chemistry is treated 
of under five divisions, (1) Physics and Laws of Chemistry, (2) Simple Analysis, (3) 
Adulterations of Principal Chemicals and their Detection, and Tests for their Purity, 
(4) Poisons, (5) The Inorganic Chemicals; Pharmacy includes (1) Preparations of 
Pharmacopoeia, (2) Organic Chemicals, (3) Proportions of Active Ingredients; Pre¬ 
scriptions embraces (1) The Latin Language, (2) The Form of a Prescription, with 
Examples, (3) Prescriptions,—unusual or erroneous, (4) Posology; aud Practical 
Dispensing comprises (1) Hints on Practical Dispensing, (2) Aids'to Dispensing, (3) 
Strength of Solutions, (4) Changes in Mixtures, with Examples of changes in mixtures 
in Prescriptions; and the whole work is concluded by an Index to Materia Medica. 
A reference to the work will at once prove—that it is not a mere cram book , as might 
be feared from the number of subjects treated of in a limited space, but a well-arranged, 
systematic, and thoroughly digested volume—one, that cannot fail to be of great assist¬ 
ance to students when preparing for their examinations, or when attending systematic 
courses of lectures, by presenting them with a clear abstract of the heads of the subjects 
treated of. The work will also be of great use in refreshing the memory, when as ne¬ 
cessarily happens in after life, from the pressure and toils of business, but few oppor¬ 
tunities are afforded for systematic study. 
To have produced two meritorious works in the space of a few months, amidst the 
distractions, anxieties, and toils of business, is no slight achievement, and we cordially 
congratulate our author upon the successful termination of his labours. 
BOOK RECEIVED 
The Halp-Yearly Abstract oe the 
Medical Sciences. January to June, 
1869. London: John Churchill and Sons; 
Edinburgh: Maclachlan and Co.; Dub¬ 
lin : Fannin and Co. 1869. 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
Qualification v. Remuneration. 
Sir,—I think the axiom that “ if ignorance 
be bliss, ’tis folly to be wise,” may with a cer¬ 
tain amount of limitation be very aptly ap¬ 
plied to a rather large number of chemists 
and druggists, who seem to be entirely at a 
