August 26,1871.] 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
171 
"be enforced with advantage at the present moment. But 
with reference to the major examination I would venture 
to suggest that, as the candidates for this examination 
are already qualified to carry on business as chemists 
and druggists, there would be no hardship in fixing the 
standard for passing it somewhat higher ; thus making 
a greater difference than now exists between the grade 
of chemist and druggist and that of pharmaceutical che¬ 
mist, and ensuring in those who bear the latter title a 
higher degree of pharmaceutical skill. I am of opinion 
further that, inasmuch as the increase of practical phar¬ 
maceutical skill is what will most conduce to the service 
of the public, the standard of the major examination 
should be heightened principally in its practical aspects, 
and that especially a profounder acquaintance with prac¬ 
tical chemistry, and a more thorough grammatical know¬ 
ledge of Latin should be required. With this view I 
would recommend that candidates for this examination 
should be required to estimate practically, by means of 
the volumetric test solutions appended to the British 
Pharmacopoeia, the strength of such officinal prepara¬ 
tions as are directed to be so estimated, and also to show 
considerable proficiency in reading difficult or unusual 
prescriptions written in the Latin language. I have, 
indeed, reason to believe that it is the intention of the 
Board of Examiners to carry out these improvements as 
they shall find practicable, but I hope that this expres¬ 
sion of opinion on my part may strengthen their hands, 
and assist them to realize their intentions more speedily. 
“ In conclusion, I have much satisfaction in being able 
to report that the examinations of the Pharmaceutical 
Society, as conducted during the past year, afford a suffi¬ 
cient guarantee for the competence of persons admitted 
during that period to registration under the Pharmacy 
Act of 1868 .” 
REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND 
REVENUE. 
The Fourteenth Report of the Commissioners of 
her Majesty’s Inland Revenue has been issued, 
giving the returns for the years ending 31st March, 
1870-1871. 
The quantity of spirit methylated during the year 
ending 31st March, 1870, was 977,469 gallons, being 
an increase of 91,510 gallons on the previous year. 
There has been again a small increase in the quan¬ 
tity during the present year, but not to such an 
extent as to call for any special remark. 
The Commissioners call attention to an experi¬ 
ment made by a large landed proprietor of dist illi ng 
spirit from beetroot grown in this country. In I860, 
350 acres were planted, and of the produce about 
3500 tons of one produce was reserved for distilla¬ 
tion. In consequence of the macliinery being in¬ 
complete, the work was not commenced until January. 
The delay prevented the completion of the operation 
before the middle of April, by which time the beet 
was much injured by frost, spring growth, and 
storing, so that less extract and alcoholic product was 
obtained than in the earlier part of the year,—the 
quantity of spirit obtained in April being five per cent, 
less than in January. The total produce of spirits 
was 39,509 proof gallons, the average quantity per 
ton of beet being about 11 proof gallons. The 
quality of the spirit was superior to that usually 
obtained from beetroot. 
During the year 1870-71 this distillery has been 
worked on a more extensive scale, but further ex¬ 
perience is necessary before the experiment can be 
said to establish the success of beetroot distillation- 
in tliis country. 
In the Report, by the Principal of the Laboratory 
in connection with the department, the result is 
recorded of an investigation made to determine the 
proportion of essential oils in perfumed spirits as- 
imported and their effect upon the bulk and strength 
of the alcohol present. For a considerable time 
back urgent representations had, from time to time, 
been made by English wholesale perfumers, to the 
effect that their trade was materially injured by 
the admission of foreign perfumed spirits into this 
country at a uniform duty of 14s. per bulk gallon, as- 
such spirits were frequently of as high a strength as- 
CO’O o.p. On the other hand, it was contended that- 
the essential oils largely contributed to the bulk of 
such spirits, and also that they interfered with the* 
action of the hydrometer by showing the perfumed 
spirits to contain more alcohol than was actually 
present, and that therefore it would be unjust to 
charge them as ordinary spirits; it was also main¬ 
tained that the various descriptions of perfumed 
spirits imported varied considerably in strength, and 
that 14$. per bulk gallon was a fair average charge. 
On the question being referred to tliis department, a 
method was devised of effectually separating and 
measuring the essential oils present in the perfumed 
spirits, and it was found that their effect upon the 
bulk of such spirits was comparatively small, and. 
also that the hydrometer was scarcely affected by 
their presence. The experiments thus showed that 
English perfumers were in many cases subjected to 
unfair competition with their foreign rivals. 
The number of samples of home-made glucose, 
examined have been 321, representing 25,737 cwts.,. 
as against 199 samples and 16,676 cwts. in the pre¬ 
vious year. Glucose imported from the Continent, 
also shows a large increase, the number of samples, 
having been 390 as compared with 222 in 1868. 
Of tobacco 152 samples have been examined; 28’ 
contained adulterants such as sugar, liquorice, and 
logwood. In one case the sample was adulterated 
with 30 per cent, of liquorice. The amount of tobacco-- 
cleared for consumption during the year 1869 gave? 
an average of 1 lb. 5f oz. per head of the population, 
against 13f oz. hi 1841. Adulterated samples of 
snuff have been found to contain oxide of iron, alu¬ 
mina, glass, coal, pinewood, fustic, straw, and an- 
excessive amount of sand. 
Sixty-three samples of coffee have been examined 
during the year, of wliicli 32 were genuine; 30 were- 
adulterated with roasted locust beans to an extent 
varying from ten to thirty per cent., and one with a- 
vegetable substance that could not be identified. It. 
having been ascertained that the whole of these- 
adulterated samples had been manufactured by a. 
