June 21, 1S73.] 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
1019 
in which cod-liver oil is indicated among ourselves. 
Dr. Macgowan tells ns that the shad is almost 
identical with the Clupea as caught on the American 
seaboard. In Shanghai it has a name which in Eng¬ 
lish means “ periodical ” fish, from the fact that it 
enters the Yangtze and tributary waters in May, and 
remains “in season” for about four months. The 
earlier the week in which it is caught, the higher 
the price obtainable for it. It is an article of tribute 
to the Emperor, and, after him, the principal officers 
of the state have the next claim. 
Dr. Macgowan has other and interesting facts and 
coincidences to give us with respect to the pharmacy 
of the Flowery Land. We hope he will prosecute 
the researches he has so ably begun, and furnish 
materials for a work on Chinese therapeutic agents 
which will not only be instructive and attractive in 
itself, but prove of signal assistance to the medical 
missionary in the fulfilment of his twofold function. 
THE GUACO PLANT. 
In the progress report of Dr. Schomburgk, the 
colonial botanist of South Australia, for 1872, just 
received, he mentions the introduction of the Mikania 
Guaco, Humb. and Bonpl., so highly spoken of by 
Baron Humboldt as a sure cure for snake bites from 
the most poisonous kinds. “During my travels” (ob¬ 
serves Dr. Schomburgk) “in South America, this 
plant was spoken of everywhere as an infallible re¬ 
medy. I myself had no opportunity of testing its 
effects, although we were so unfortunate as to lose 
two of our men from snake bites, not having the herb 
with us, which is only found growing on the banks 
of rivers. “ For a long time the knowledge of the 
antidotal qualities of the guaco remained a great mys¬ 
tery and -was confined to a few inhabitants of South 
America. However, the medical qualities of the guaco 
are now generally known in all countries where it is 
found. The part of the plant which is used for the 
snake bite is the sap or a tea distilled from its 
leaves. 
“ The frequent accidents and loss of life occurring 
from snake bites in Australia, especially during the 
last few' years, induced me to introduce this valuable 
plant. Notwithstanding that Professor Halford’s 
method (injecting ammonia into the wound) is highly 
spoken of, and has indeed already saved many lives, we 
should try also the Mikania. When the young plants 
are strong enough I will send some to Professor 
Halford in Melbourne to test the nature of the 
plants.” 
In the course of a case which came before Vice- 
Chancellor Sir James Bacon last v'eek it was inci¬ 
dentally mentioned that two ladies had amassed a 
fortune of £100,000, out of profits derived from the 
manufacture and sale of a secret preparation namec. 
“black drop.” 
fensattions of tljc flanrairntM Jtorirtiy. 
EXAMINATION IN LONDON. 
June 13 th, 1873. 
Present—Messrs. Allchin, Barnes, Carteighe, Crackuell, 
Gale, Haselden, Hills, Linford, Martindale, Schweitzer, 
and Umney. 
Dr. Greenhow was present on behalf of the Privy 
Council. 
MODIFIED EXAMINATION. 
Thirty-four candidates were examined. Eight failed. 
The following twenty-six passed, and were declared quali¬ 
fied to be registered as “ Chemists and Druggists : 
Althorp, Henry.Chester. 
Butler, Edwin .London. 
Edkins, John.Walworth. 
Gill, William Henry.Bromley, Kent. 
Hall, Joseph.Wellington, Salop. 
Henderson, Robert Hood.Maidstone. 
Hewson, Joseph Frankish .Islington. 
Holttum, Richard.Maidstone. 
Jenkins, Alexander .London. 
Kershaw, William .Halifax. 
Laurence, Henry French.Pimlico. 
Matthews, Frederick William...Birkenhead. 
Miller, Samuel .Pateley Bridge. 
Morris, Morris Davies.Wrexham. 
Pascall, Frederic George.Limehouse. 
Phillips, Charles .Birmingham. 
Shaw, John .Ashton-under-Lyne. 
Simon, Richard.Liverpool. 
Storm, Elliott Baxter .Stockton-on-Tees. 
Taubman, Robert.London. 
Tice, Richard.Islington. 
Tily, Charles Alfred.Kentish Town. 
Tyler, George .Southwark. 
Webster, John Henry .London. 
Williams, William Frederick ...Stepney. 
Wilson, Franklin .Hull. 
Erratum. 
Page 981, col. ii. line 32, in the list of Associates of 
the Society elected on the 4th June, for Bracher, Waltei 
Phipps, Grantham, read Bracher, Walter Phipps, Bath. 
IpmccMup iif Jfrienlifit jifltictics. 
SOCIETY OF ARTS. 
Recent Processes for the Manufacture of Gas 
for Illuminating Purposes.* 
BY T. WILLS, F.C.S. 
[Continued from p. 1007.) 
This last-mentioned process has been submitted to the in¬ 
vestigation of two eminent independent scientific men, both 
having a large acquaintance with the processes of gas manu¬ 
facture. The value of such investigation cannot well be 
over-estimated, and it would appear desirable that m all 
such cases similar investigations should be resorted.to, oi 
it rarely happens that an inventor is able to perceive the 
weak points of his own invention, and still more rarely is 
he able to grapple with and surmount them by the use of 
his own scientific knowledge, while at the same time it is 
not too much to say that many processes and schemes have 
been allowed to dwindle and die because the good and 
useful points which they contained have not been perceived 
amongst so many erroneous views and ideas. A searching 
* Read Wednesday, May 21, 1873. 
