380 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. [November 5, 1870. 
quite equal to “ Reformer ” in education, the polite arts and 
morality. We take our places and perform our office in so¬ 
ciety on equal terms, and I hope we shall always possess suf¬ 
ficient spirit for the maintenance of our dignity, and not 
stoop to the dictation of any man. Law and prudence de>- 
mand that a third party should stand between the Palmers, 
Pritchards and Monks of the profession and their patients; 
a man better qualified than they, to dispense prescriptions, 
who could correct errors, give evidence as to medicine pre¬ 
scribed, and, in many cases, prevent “ dark deeds.” Are we 
quite sure that death has never unwittingly lurked in a bottle 
emanating from a surgery, and his dread presence at the bed¬ 
side of the patient been accounted for as “unfavourable 
symptoms set in!” “ Quite what I expected from the first,” 
etc. ? I believe that the public and Government have only to 
be well instructed on this head, to see the propriety of taking 
dispensing out of the hands of the faculty as far as possible, 
and handing it over to persons exclusively educated for the 
purpose. Finally, having been in the business thirty-seven 
years, and educated in the first houses, I am of opinion that 
as a whole, and looking at the limited nature of the sale of 
drugs, most businesses are preferable to that of a chemist and 
druggist, notwithstanding the great profits we get. 
I append a specimen of prescribing by the faculty, which I 
call “grape shot.” I make no remarks upon it, except that 
the complaint which it is intended to cure must be of a pecu¬ 
liar and ramified character. 
“Nemo me Impune Lacessit.” 
R. Liq. Ammon. Acet. ^iss 
Potas. Nitrat. 9ij 
Syr. Tolut. 5ij 
Mucil. Acaciae jj 
Sp. iEther. Nitr. 5j 
Oxym. S cilice 5hj 
-/Ether. Chlor. 1v lxx 
Tinct. Opii. Co. oi.l 
Vin. Ipecac, <B.xx 
Aquae ad syj. M. 
Ft. mist, cujus cap. coch. jss magn. ter in die. 
Feeding Bottles. 
Sir,—Possessed of a mind somewhat addicted to the “ curi¬ 
ous,” I was induced, by the perusal of Mr. Balkwill’s letter, 
to try an experiment or two, to ascertain how far the india- 
rubber portion of & feeding-bottle was concerned in the pro¬ 
duction of the poisonous compound, so detrimental and some¬ 
times fatal to the little ones. 
To this end a portion of india-rubber tube was immersed in 
some fresh milk and exposed to the same treatment it would 
undergo in an ordinary feeding-bottle, for the space of forty- 
eight hours; during this interval it was examined several 
times, and although the character of the milk had changed, 
there was not the faintest trace of sulphuretted hydrogen. 
The tube was then removed, wiped with a cloth, cut open, 
and thoroughly examined, but no change whatever had taken 
place. 
The milk was again examined, after the lapse of some hours 
more, and found to be in a state of decomposition, giving 
plain evidence of the formation of sidpliuretted hydrogen, 
but without the presence of india-rubber. 
It is evident, therefore, that this poisonous compound is 
not produced by the teat or tube, but is, de facto, the product 
of milk decomposition, which takes place entirely independent 
of the india-rubber. 
The theory “ that the sulphur of the india-rubber acted on 
the hydrogen of the milk,” appeared unsatisfactory, and was 
not sufficient to account for the change. 
The probable solution of that part of the question appears 
to be this,—the casein of the milk is decomposed, the sulphur 
which it contains combines with some hydrogen, set free in 
consequence of this decomposition, and this accounts for the 
sulphuretted hydrogen liberated unnoticed in the feeding- 
bottle. 
But this will not take place if the feeding-apparatus is 
properly looked after, and the very simple and necessary pre¬ 
cautions suggested by Mr. Pemberton adopted. 
There is little doubt that a very small portion of already 
decomposed milk allowed to remain in the tube, teat or bottle, 
will act as a ferment, and in a very short space of time infect 
the entire body of fresh milk; and here lies the entire diffi¬ 
culty and danger. 
Attention to cleanliness removes the whole; neglect of this 
alone produces the “poisonous compound ” which may induce 
disease and result in death. 
I have thought it would be a wise plan to discard the use of 
“ corks ” in feeding-bottles. 
Corks (and especially when faulty or fissured) are absorbent, 
and, unless long-soaked and well-brushed, will contain quite 
enough decomposed matter to contaminate fresh milk, if 
allowed to remain long in contact. 
In conclusion, I cannot but think that if children are really 
poisoned by this means, it must exhibit, on the part of those 
who use the “feeder,” an amount of wanton carelessness , 
scarcely credible in an age which boasts of its progress and 
sanitary reforms. 
Brighton, October 2oth, 1870. G. G. Hornsby. 
Aurora Borealis. 
Sir,—The late magnificent display of the Aurora Borealis, 
was witnessed in perfection at Richmond. Viewed from the- 
high ground of Mount Ararat and the Park, the whole hemi¬ 
sphere appeared in a rich, ruddy glow, a vast sea of flickering 
flame, the beauty of which surpasses any attempt to describe.. 
The highest perfection of the display continued from about 
seven till half-past eight o’clock on Monday evening the 24th 
ult., suggesting the idea of a tremendous conflagration. The 
fire brigade turned out, but after scouring the country from 
Mortlake to Brentford, returned without having extinguished 
the “ awful blaze.” 
On the following evening a repetition of the phenomenon 
occurred, and lasted from about half-past six until nearly 
eight o’clock, when the brightness gradually declined. 
At early dawn on the morning following each of these dis¬ 
plays, beautifully illuminated clouds were observed towards- 
the eastern horizon, much resembling in appearance those- 
tender cirro-cumuli, surrounded by a bright atmosphere, some¬ 
times seen on a calm summer evening. 
By a remarkable coincidence the 24th of October is the 
anniversary of “ one of the most brilliant auroras ever known 
in this country,” noticed by Mr. Glaisher, October 24, 1847, 
and we shall probably be favoured with records of the mag¬ 
netic storm by the electricians at the Kew Observatory. 
See Humboldt’s ‘ Cosmos,’ vol. i. p. 188. 
R. Goodwin Mumbray. 
_ “Student X.” —The salary that might be expected for services 
in a laboratory would depend more upon the practical compe¬ 
tence possessed than upon the mere possession of the degree 
of B.Sc. 
F. J. B., Major Associate, is requested to communicate 
with the Editor respecting his letter, as no answer has been 
received to a letter sent to the address he named. 
W. B. Williams (Salisbury).—Prussiate of potash is not a 
poison, nor is it included in Part I. of the poison schedule, 
therefore it is not subject to the regulations as to labelling, 
etc. 
Owen Jones (London).—In our opinion they certainly do. 
“Druggist” (Birkenhead).—According to the terms of 
the Act, we should consider the article mentioned as being 
liable to duty. In reference to a similar article, the Inland 
Revenue Office has taken a contrary course, though it is now 
considered to have been wrong in doing so. 
JR. J » O. (London).—Elixir of garus is a preparation of the 
French Codex. It is also given at p. 449 of Dorvault’s 
‘ L’Officine.’ 
Communications, Letters, etc., have been received from 
Mr. W. D. Boon (Lynn), Mr. A. H. Mason (Liverpool), Mr. 
H. H. Pollard (Ryde), Mr. Perkins (Norwich), Mr. J. Watts, 
jun. (Sheffield), Mr. R. G. Mumbray (Richmond), Mr. T. 
Appleton (Fulham), Mr. A. W. Bennett (London), “Regis¬ 
tered Chemist and Druggist” (London), J. C. (Wakefield;, 
“Agitator,” “The Original Modified Man,” “An Associate,” 
L., A. E. <7. (Norwich), J. E. T. C. (Manchester). 
The following journals have been received:—The ‘British 
Medical Journal,’ Oct.29; the ‘Medical Times and Gazette,’ 
Oct. 29; the ‘Lancet,’ Oct. 29; ‘Nature,’ Oct. 27; the ‘Che¬ 
mical News,’ Oct. 28; ‘Journal of the Society of Arts,’ Oct. 
27; ‘ Gardeners’ Chronicle,’ Oct. 29; the ‘ Grocer,’ Oct. 29; 
the ‘ English Mechanic,’ Oct. 28; the ‘ Canadian Pharma¬ 
ceutical Journal/ for October; ‘Journal of Applied Science’ 
for November; the ‘Educational Times’ for November; 
the ‘Practitioner’ for November; the ‘Food Journal’ for 
November. 
