380 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. [November 9, 1872 . 
reply to our letter stating the deficiency, that it “is not at all 
had; some cases realize less”! Can you or any of your 
readers give us any information on this point ? Is it a fact 
that 57 lb. of sand in a case the total net weight of which is 
only 78^ lb. “ is not at all bad ” ? And if yes, would some 
kindly disposed sponge merchant say what would be con¬ 
sidered “ at all bad.” 
Would, for instance, an additional 20 lb. to the 57 lb. be con¬ 
sidered so ? 
We are aware that sponge naturally contains a considerable 
amount of sand, but for this we have made allowance; we 
should imagine that the real net weight of sponge in either 
case would t not exceed 12 lb., as we have not by any means 
got all the sand out, we have simply given them a slight 
shaking. To illustrate this take the following fact:—As soon 
as the cases were opened, a piece of sponge from each was 
selected at random and carried carefully to the scales (but 
not without loss, as every pore of the sponge was full of sand). 
The piece from No. 1 case weighed 12 oz., and when well 
shaken 2\ oz. The piece from No. 2 weighed 33 oz., and 
when well shaken 5jOz.! 
It seems to us utterly impossible that all this sand should 
have got into the cases honestly; simply lifting a piece up 
(without shaking) immediately reduced its weight at least 
one-half, and at the bottom of No. 1 case there was a mass of 
it weighing, we should say, about 30 lb.; No. 2 case had ap¬ 
parently “ sprung a leak” in transit and shed about 421b. of 
its principal contents—sand. 
We have never done much in the sponge trade (and if the 
above cases are “not at all bad” don’t intend), and we should 
like to know what is the custom of the trade in the matter. 
B. Newham and Co. 
Milk op Sulphur and Precipitated Sulphur, B.P. 
Sir,—At an evening meeting of the Pharmaceutical So¬ 
ciety, January 6 th, 1869, a paper was read by Prof. Attfield 
“On the Adulteration of Precipitated Sulphur.” (Vide 
Pharm. Journ., vol. X. page 472.) The Professor stated 
that of eight samples, one only represented a pure prepara¬ 
tion. Granting this ; the London Pharmacopoeia, 1721, gives 
a form for precipitated sulphur, in which the result is sul¬ 
phate of lime and sulphur. Now, I want to know if we are 
liable for selling a preparation made according to an old 
Pharmacopoeia, provided we do not use it in dispensing pre¬ 
scriptions. I see clearly by the Pharmacy Act, 1868, that 
by using other than B.P. preparations, we are liable in dis¬ 
pensing recent prescriptions; but I do not see that it applies 
to a retail preparation as lac. sulph. made in accordance 
with the old London Pharmacopoeia. Consequently, if we 
are asked for milk of sulphur I cannot see how we are ex¬ 
pected to give precipitated sulphur, B.P. 
Dr. Redwood clearly pointed out that, in his opinion, the 
two were distinct preparations; and if milk of sulphur were 
asked for, the public would not be satisfied with the precipi¬ 
tated sulphur, B.P. 
I think as the Act to prevent the adulteration of articles 
of food, drink and drugs has now come into force, we should 
clearly understand how to proceed, as I was informed yes¬ 
terday by two well-known wholesale druggists that they had 
decided not to send out the old lac sulphuris. I shall feel 
obliged by your inserting this, that we may have the opinion 
of the members of the profession. 
W. N. G. Lance, 
207, Copenhagen Street , 
Islington. 
A Dispensing Dippicultt. 
Sir,—If Mr. T. A. Jeffrey will refer to the Journal for 
October, 1869, he will find it stated that the best excipient for 
creasote pills is Cera Plav. in proportion of a gr. j. to n\. j. 
The recipe which he gives a copy of, with 3 j. Cera Flav. makes 
excellent pills which are not large. W. D. S. 
The Examination.—A Suggestion. 
Sir,—I was much struck with a remark made by one of my 
assistants on reading the list of successful “ Minors ” in your 
issue of October 26th. Noticing the array of those gentlemen 
who had passed in “ honours,” he said, “ I should think that 
nearly all those men who passed in ‘ honours ’ have studied 
at the ‘Square.’ ” Now, the thought occurred to me, sir, 
that an arrangement might be come to, whereby a student 
on entering his name as a candidate for examination, should 
at the same time furnish our worthy Secretary with the 
means he has had at his disposal for qualifying himself, tho 
same information to be put into the Journal in an abreviated 
form at the end' of the successful student’s name. I think it 
would be a useful addition to the list, and would at the same¬ 
time furnish the anxious hard-working provincial candidate 
with a small ray of light as to what chance he may have when, 
placed before his examiners. 
D. B. Sharp. 
Toward Road, Boro ’ Road, Sunderland. 
Pharmaceutical Education. 
Sir,—In the Journal of October 19, I observed a letter 
on the above subject written by Mr. George Mee. I 
am glad he has made a step towards assisting those poor un¬ 
fortunates who were apprentices in the trade at the passing 
of the Act, and were not allowed to have their names placed 
on the Register “ as assistants in business,” on account of 
not having attained the age of 21 years. A great number of 
those are young men who have little money to throw away for 
studying the subjects which they are required to know before 
presenting themselves at the examination table. I think they 
ought to be allowed some privilege, and only be subject to 
such a test of their practical abilities as the above-named 
gentleman has mentioned. 
If a memorial were presented to the Council of the Society, 
praying for such an examination, I have not the slightest 
doubt but that Mr. Mee would assist in forming one of a 
deputation who would present such a petition. 
I hope the assistants in each town who are so situated will 
work and get a petition signed by their employers, and 
themselves. 
October 24 th, 1872. An Assistant. 
AT.—You will find a notice of croton chloral in the second 
volume of the present series of this Journal, p. 424. There 
is also a brief description of its chemical characteristics in the 
Journal of the Chemical Society [2] ix. 557. 
F. W. Wheeler. —Your specimen is part of the spadix of a 
palm, possibly a species of Areca, or at least near to that 
genus; but it would be necessary to be informed from whence 
it has been obtained before giving a more definite answer. 
“BrocTelesby.” —(1) “Associates in Business” enjoy the 
same advantages and privileges as “members of the Society,” 
except the right of holding office. (2) No person can become 
a “ member ” unless he is a pharmaceutical chemist, or was 
in business as a chemist and druggist at the time of the 
passing of the Pharmacy Act, 1868. 
David Peters. —At present no prohibition of such competi¬ 
tion exists, but we believe the subject is under the considera¬ 
tion of the Council. 
“Fliarmaceutial Chemist.” —Sowerby’s ‘Useful Plants of 
Great Britain.’ 
A. P. S. —We are not aware of any limitation as to age, but 
recommend you to apply at the office of the Poor-Law Board. 
“ An Inquirer.” —(1) Wanklyn’s ‘Water Analysis,’ (Triib- 
ner), and Sutton’s ‘Volumetric Analysis’ (Churchill). (2) 
‘How Crops Grow’ (Macmillan). 
“ Composites.” —(1) In forwarding plants to be named, it is 
necessary that good specimens be sent. (2) Babington’s 
‘ Manual of British Botany,’ or Hooker’s ‘ Student’s Flora 
of Great Britain.’ 
M. P. Davies. —We have received the samples of your 
congealed glycerine and alkaline and chalybeate salts, but 
are unable to notice them as you wish in the Journal. Pos¬ 
sibly any pharmaceutical novelty or improvement there may 
be in these preparations might form the subject of a paper at 
an evening meeting. 
G. L .—See the New Regulations respecting Naval Dis¬ 
pensers on p. 364 of the present Number of the Journal. 
Mr. BLarvie is thanked for his communication, which shall 
receive attention. 
“ Alpha ” is referred to the regulations respecting anony¬ 
mous communications. 
Communications, Letters, etc., have been received Irom. 
Mr. Simmonds, Mr. Ekin, Mr. Rimmington, Mr. Whitfield, 
“Apprentice,” “Country M. P. S.,” “A Young Major,’" 
“Kino,” “Disappointed,” “An Assistant,” W. B. 
