G75 
February is, 1871.] TIIE PHARMACEUTICAL J0UREAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
Thursday . London Institution, at 7.30 p.m.— ‘-'The Ac¬ 
tion, Nature and Detection of Poisons.” 
By F. S. Barff. 
London Chemists' Association, at 9.30 p.m. 
“Filtration.” By Mr. De Putron. 
Friday . Loyal Institution, at 9 p.m. —“ The Latest 
Scientific Researches in the Mediterranean 
and Straits of Gibraltar.” By Dr. W. B. 
Carpenter. 
Quekett Club, at 8 p.m. 
Overdose of Chloral Hydrate. 
An inquest lias been held at Wrington, Somerset, to 
inquire into the death of Mr. Edward Ratheram. It 
appeared from the evidence that the deceased gentleman 
had been placed under the care of Dr. Barnes, in conse¬ 
quence of his addictedness to opium. Visiting- Bristol 
with the Doctor, he took the opportunity of purchasing- 
secretly an 8 -oz. bottle of chloral hydrate. A day or 
• two afterwards he was observed to be under the influence 
of an opiate. Being- questioned, he produced a bottle 
containing about an ounce of chloral hydrate, largely 
diluted with water. The bottle was not marked “ poison,” 
but a printed label was attached, giving- directions for 
nse. In the evening he took his supper in bed, appa¬ 
rently quite well; the next morning he was found lying- 
on the floor. Medical assistance -was obtained, but Mr. 
Ratheram died shortly after. The medical evidence was 
to the effect that death had been occasioned by an over¬ 
dose of chloral hydrate, and the jury found accordingly, 
adding, that they believed it to have been taken in igno¬ 
rance of its strength, and that in their opinion narcotic 
poisons, when sold to non-professionals, should be la¬ 
belled “Poison .”—Saturday Bristol Times. 
DR. F. A. G. MIQUEL. 
Intelligence has been received of the death of Dr. 
F. A. G. Miquel, Professor of Botany in the University 
of Utrecht, and Director of the Botanic Gardens at 
Leyden. Professor Miquel has occupied high rank 
among- systematic botanists for many years. His nume¬ 
rous publications have been principally devoted to the 
elucidation of the plants of the Dutch possessions in the 
Indian Archipelago and of the flora of Japan and New 
Holland. Besides these undertakings, for which Pro¬ 
fessor Miquel possessed special advantages, he produced 
several monographs of particular families, such as the 
Figs, Peppers, Cycads, Casuarinas, etc. The work by 
which he will be best remembered is his 1 Annales Musei 
Botanici Lugduno-Batavi,’ in four folio volumes, with 
splendid illustrations. He was one of the Foreign Mem¬ 
bers of the Linnean Society of London. 
Petroleum Accident.— A Mr. Smith, ironmonger, 
of Keighley, while engaged lately in filling a thirty-five 
gallon cask, which had contained petroleum, with olive 
oil, incautiously placed a lighted lamp upon it. An ex¬ 
plosion immediately ensued, which blew out the plate- 
glass front and some of the windows on the opposite side 
of the street. Mr. Smith was slightly burned about the 
face and head.— Grocer. 
The following journals have been received:—The ‘ British 
Medical Journal,’ Feb. 11; the ‘ Medical Times and Gazette,’ 
Feb. 11; the ‘Lancet,’ Feb. 11; the ‘Medical Press and Cir¬ 
cular,’ Feb. 16 ; ‘Nature,’ Feb. 9; the ‘ Chemical News,’ Feb. 
10 ; ‘Journal of the Society of Arts,’ Feb. 9 ; ‘Gardeners’ 
Chronicle,’ Feb. 11; the ‘ Grocer,’ Feb. 11; the ‘ Chemist and 
Druggist’ for February; the ‘ American Journal of Pharmacy’ 
for February; the ‘New York Druggists’ Circular’ for 
February; the ‘Chicago Pharmacist’ for January; the 
Canadian Pharmaceutical Journal ’ for January; the ‘ Jour- 
ual of Materia Medica’ for January. 
Hfetcs aitir Queries. 
*** In order to facilitate reference, correspondents are 
requested to mark their answers in each case with the title 
and number of the query referred to. 
Bo notice can be taken of anonymous communications. 
All queries or answers should be accompanied by the name 
and address of the writer. 
NOTICE.— To prevent delay , correspondents are re¬ 
quested to send their communications to the Journal Depart¬ 
ment, 17, Bloomsbury Square , W.C., and not to the Bub- 
lishers. 
[160.]—LIQUOR QLINI2E AMMON.—Will any corre¬ 
spondent be kind enough to inform me how liquor quin, 
ammon. is prepared?— S. C. 
[*#* The following has already been published in this 
Journal, 1st ser. Vol. XIII. p. 314:— 
R. Quinge Disulph. gr. xxxij 
Spirit. Tenuior. ^iiiss 
Liquor. Ammoniae ~ss. 
—Ed. Pharm. Jourx.] 
[161.]—TINCTURE OF MYRRH AND BORAX.— 
Can any of your readers tell me what is usually sold under 
this name ? The formula given in Squire’s ‘ Companion ’ 
seems to dissolve only a very small proportion of borax. I 
have tried equal parts of tinct. myrrh, and glycerin, boracis, 
which make a tolerably clear mixture, but I should be glad 
to know what others use.— Provincial. 
[ # # # The following is the formula given by Piesse:— 
Spirits of Wine ... 1 quart. 
Borax.1 oz. 
Honey.1 oz. 
Gum Myrrh . . . . 1 oz. 
Red Sanders Wood . . 1 oz. 
Rub the honey and borax well together in a mortar, then 
gradually add the spirit—which should not be stronger than 
•920, i. e. proof spirit—the myrrh and sanders-wood, and ma¬ 
cerate fourteen days.— Ed. Pharm. Journ.] 
[162.]—ANILINE SULPHATE.—Will any reader oblige 
me with a formula for the manufacture of aniline sulphate ? 
— J. T. Sandell. 
[163.]—ACIDUM CARBOLICUM AROMAT.—“ Coun¬ 
try Druggist" wishes to know what “acid, carbolic, aro- 
mat.” is, used for inhaling. 
[164.]—THE LOGWOOD BREAD TEST. — I have 
tested various samples of bread with the “ methylated alco¬ 
holic infusion of logwood ” test given in your J ournal, amongst 
them one called aerated bread, which, on standing, turned of 
a bluish-green colour. Will any one be kind enough to ex¬ 
plain what it is due to ? The other samples showed their 
freedom from alum by turning of a yellowish-straw colour.— 
Filius Neminis, Manchester. 
[165.]—PILL COVERING.—Will any reader kindly in¬ 
form me the way to send out pills with a “ tasteless white 
covering” ?—S. R. 
[166.]—BLACK INK.— J. T. B. and “ Scribe ” would be 
glad of a good recipe fur black ink which would not corrode 
steel pens. 
[ 167 .]—LEMONADE.— A. Z. wishes for a good formula for 
making lemonade (aerated). 
[168.] — FRAGRANT ESSENCE. — G. H. B. would be 
glad if any reader could give a good formula for the above.— 
Geo. Harvie. 
[169.]—CORN PLASTER. — M. B. S. wishes for a for¬ 
mula for Corn Piaster (not containing verdigris) to spread on 
linen. 
[170.]—BALSAM OF LIQUORICE. —Will any reader 
kindly favour me with a recipe for the above ?— Z. Z. 
[171.]—BOTANICAL SPECIMENS.—Will any corre¬ 
spondent favour me with the best methods of drying and pre¬ 
serving botanical specimens ?— Herbarius. 
f arlirawntoi; smij fate frant&ings. 
