S72 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[J.ia'a ary IS, 18?3. 
THE CHEMISTS’ BALL. 
Those wlio in former years have been privileged 
to join the pleasant gathering known as the Chemists’ 
Ball, will scarcely need reminding that Wednesday 
next is the day fixed for that of 1873. To them there 
can be offered no inducement stronger to accept the 
invitation of the stewards, than an assurance that— 
“ This festive fete, in fact, will be 
The former fetes’ facsimile.” 
Nor can it be doubted that the Ball at Willis s 
Booms, on the 22nd, will be attended by many for 
the first time. For occasions like these will never 
lack patrons, affording, as they do, to gentlemen who 
pursue the same avocation, opportunities for friendly 
.greeting and social enjoyment. 
A few tickets still remain for disposal, and to pre¬ 
vent disappointment immediate application should 
be made for them, either to Mr. T. D. Watson, the 
Hon. Sec., 40, Halton Boad, Canonbury Square, N., 
or to Mr. Bichard Bremridge, 17, Bloomsbuiy 
Square, W.C. 
“ So prithee, come ! our fete will he 
But half a fete if wanting thee ! ” 
THE PRIESTLEY MEMORIAL. 
The discoverer of oxygen, the inventor of the pneu¬ 
matic trough and of the artificial preparation of 
mineral waters is about to be honoured with a me¬ 
morial. Birmingham, the city of his chief scientific 
triumphs, while Leeds was that of his birth, has 
taken the initiative, and Mr. Williams, the sculptor, 
lias been commissioned to prepare a statue of the 
philosopher. Subscriptions are in course of collec¬ 
tion for carrying out the movement, and already a 
considerable sum has been contributed. We trust 
that pharmacists will respond handsomely to the 
appeal of the promoters. Priestley has laid not 
only chemistry proper but pharmacy itself under 
deep obligations, while the example of his life—so 
rich in noble traits of character, not only as a sa¬ 
vant and teacher, but as a vindicator of the catho¬ 
licity of science and of the great principle of toleration 
—is a bequest which every votary of inductive re¬ 
search, in whatever field, ought to cherish with gra¬ 
titude and pride. Science in general and chemistry 
in particular are not, in these days, so very rich in 
first-rate men that they can afford to seem indiffer¬ 
ent to the life and labours of Joseph Priestley. 
DANGERS OF GLUTTONY IN A PHARMACY. 
According to the Repertoire de Pharmacie, a 
curious occurrence took place a short time since in a 
Paris pharmacy. An assistant, having to prepare some 
granules of arsenious acid according to the formula 
of the Codex, had made the mass a little soft, and in 
order not to augment the weight by an addition of 
inert powder, it was divided into little masses of 
about 100 granules each and spread out upon a raised 
place, behind some other articles, to dry. In the 
course of the day a tall young American lady, while 
waiting the dispensing of a prescription, made the 
round of the pharmacy, touching each article she 
fancied, as is too often the custom with foreigners. 
The pliarmacien, accustomed to this sort of behaviour 
paid little attention to her proceedings, until happen¬ 
ing to raise his eyes he saw her putting into her 
mouth one of the masses in question. Calling out 
to her sharply to spit out what she had in her mouth,— 
forty granules at least,—he gave her to understand 
that a pharmacy was not a confectioner’s shop. The 
lady, somewhat surprised, obeyed, and excused her¬ 
self by saying that she had mistaken the substance 
for giumawve paste, and that American pharmacists 
provided such things as pastes, bonbons, etc., for 
their customers. She treated the affair very lightly, 
was evidently not at all frightened by the words 
“ arsenious acid,” and left the shop soon afterwards 
evidently under the impression that the pliarmacien 
had sought by frightening her to punish her for her 
free and easy behaviour. 
MICHELIA CHAMPACA. 
At the recent meeting of the North British Branch 
of the Pharmaceutical Society (see ante, p. 431) the 
President, Mr. Baildox, read an extract from a letter 
received from Mr. Jamie, of Singapore, referring 
among other things to the Michelia Ghampaca. The 
following additional information respecting this plant 
has been communicated by Mr. P. L. Simmonds, and 
has been placed at our disposal by Mr. Baildox :— 
“The Michelia Ghampaca, Lin., is a native of the 
Indian islands, although cultivated in Bengal and 
in gardens in the Peninsula of India for its large 
yellow fragrant flowers. The tree is highly venerated 
by the Hindoos, and is dedicated to Vishxoo. It is 
celebrated for the exquisite perfume of its flowers. 
Sir W. Jones states that their fragrance is so strong 
that bees will seldom if ever alight upon them. The 
natives adorn their heads with them; the rich 
orange colour of the flowers contrasting, strongly 
with their dark black hair. There are several Indian 
species of Michelia, but they have been somewhat 
confusedly arranged by botanists. The flowers of 
another species, ili. Rheedii, growing in Malabar and 
Travancore, boiled up in oil, are applied in head¬ 
aches and affections of the eyes. Oil in which the 
flowers have been steeped for forty days is also used 
occasionally in anointing the head. 
“ It is strange how little attention has yet been 
given to the distillation of new essential oils for per¬ 
fumes, etc., from the odoriferous flowers of the East 
The large white fragrant flowers of Mesaa ferrea 
when dry are mixed in India with other aromatics, 
such as the sandal-wood, and used for perfuming 
ointment. The blossoms are found in a dried state 
