410 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. [November 18,1871. 
ditions of experiment it is not so—by the fact that on 
allowing two similar liquids to ferment, but with the 
addition of 1 per cent, of sodium sulphite to the one, the 
same disengagement of carbonic anhydride took place in 
both cases, although the oxygen had served to convert 
the sulphite into sulphate. In this experiment no acids 
were formed. 
If the fermentation takes place in the absence of sul¬ 
phites, the oxygen forms succinic and acetic acids. 
CARBOLIC ACID IN THE POWDER FORM. 
Professor C. 0. Curtman, in a communication to the 
American Journal of Pharmacy, refers to the inconveni¬ 
ence sometimes arising from the corrosive action of con- 
centrated solutions of crude carbolic acid, and says that 
a preparation in which a dry argillaceous powder is used 
instead of water as a diluent of the acid, has some very 
decided advantages over the common solutions. The 
powder as used by him is quite dry, has very little 
coherence, is light and porous, little inclined to form 
lumps by exposure to moisture, and contains about 20 
per cent, of the mixed tar acids, which gradually 
and slowly volatilize when the powder is exposed to the 
air. 
In order to ascertain whether the corrosive qualities 
of the acid were modified without sacrificing any valu¬ 
able quality, Professor Curtman made some experiments 
upon a number of shrubs and flowers in his garden which 
had become infested by swarms of various parasites. 
Selecting a rose-bush upon which thousands of green 
insects were preying, he attempted to destroy them by 
syringing the plant with a quarter per cent, solution of 
crude carbolic acid. The experiment was unsuccessful 
until the solution had been increased in strength to four 
per cent., when some of the insects died, but the rose¬ 
bush also began to wither, and after a few weeks of 
sickly existence perished. Similar results were obtained 
in other experiments. 
The powder containing about twenty per cent, of the 
acid was next sprinkled slightly over different plants. 
On the first day neither plants nor insects appeared to 
be affected, but after three days very few parasites re¬ 
mained on the plants, while no damage whatever had 
occurred to the plants. 
Professor Curtman considers that in the use of carbolic 
acid the continuous and regular exhalation of the acid 
vapour from the finely divided surface of the powder is 
preferable to its more irregular diffusion resulting from 
the evaporation of an aqueous solution, and that in inex¬ 
perienced hands the pulverulent preparation is much 
safer than solution in liquids. He recommends clay as 
preferable to other substances for this purpose, on ac¬ 
count of its entering into no combination with the acid, 
but acting simply as a neutral, inert, mechanical diluent. 
SYRUPUS ASSAFCETIDiE COMPOSITUS. 
In the American Journal of Pharmacy, Mr. J. J. Rambo 
publishes a formula that he has for a number of years 
been in the habit of preparing, to obviate the great 
objection felt by most patients to the disagreeable smell 
and taste of assafeetida, which has prevented to a great 
extent the more general use of this valuable drug. The 
formula he has found to answer the purpose effectually, 
at the same time he considers that its medicinal quali¬ 
ties are enhanced by combination with syrup of wdld 
cherry, thus presenting the valuable therapeutic proper¬ 
ties of both. 
Infusi Pruni Virginiana 3 Oj 
Assafoetidce £j 
Sacch. Albi gxxiv 
Magnes. Garb. §ij. 
Rub the assafoetida and magnesia, with the infusion 
gradually added so as to make a uniform mixture, and 
filter; to this, transferred to a bottle, add the sugar, 
and agitate occasionally until it is dissolved. The result 
is a handsome syrup, which does not differ in appearance 
from the syrup of wild cherry. 
The property possessed by the volatile oils of bitter 
almonds, cherry-laurel leaves, bark of wild cherry, etc., 
containing hydrocyanic acid, of removing the odour of 
assafoetida has long been known, and advantage taken 
of this property by M. Maheir, a French pharmaceutist, 
to remove the odour from mortars and bottles with 
which it came in contact; but Mr. Rambo is unaware 
that the fact has ever been applied to its administration 
as a medicinal agent. 
PRESENTATION OF A TESTIMONIAL TO A 
PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMIST. 
On Thursday, September 9th, a very interesting cere¬ 
monial took place, in the Town Hall, at Reading, on the 
occasion of the presentation of a very handsome testimo¬ 
nial to Mr. Peter Spokes, Pharmaceutical Chemist, the 
late mayor. It consisted of a chaste dessert-service and 
silver inkstand. The dessert- service comprised a very 
handsome epergne, or centre-piece, twenty-one inches- 
high, with a tripod-panelled base, with vine leaves and 
grapes, twisted vine-stem and trellis-basket supporting a 
rich cut-glass bowl. The figures on base are two boys 
sporting with a goat. The four dessert-stands to match, 
are 131- inches high, with figures representing the four 
seasons, viz. Spring, girl and lamb ; Summer, boy feed¬ 
ing hen and chickens; Autumn, gird and goat; Winter, 
shepherd boy and dog. Each piece bears the following- 
inscription :—“ Presented to Sir Peter Spokes, Knight, 
Mayor of Reading, November 9th, 1871, by his fellow- 
townsmen, as a token of their respect, and of their cordial 
approval of the efficient manner in which he has dis¬ 
charged the duties of the Mayoralty during two succes¬ 
sive years, 1869-70,1870-71.” The inkstand is 12 inches- 
long, of Elizabethan style, with two cut-glass inks ; 
hexagon wafer-box in centre, surmounted by a figure of 
“ Justice,” with scales, richly engraved in the style of 
the period. The inkstand bears the following inscrip¬ 
tion :—“ Presented, together with a silver dessert-service, 
to Sir Peter Spokes, Knight, Mayor of Reading, Novem¬ 
ber 9th, 1871, by his fellow-townsmen, as a token of their 
respect and of their cordial approval of the efficient 
manner in which he has discharged the duties of the 
Mayoralty during two successive years, 1869-70, 1870— 
1871.” 
The testimonial was presented by the Rev. A. P. 
Perry-Oust, who said that, although he differed from Mr, 
Spokes in religious and political opinions, he was happy 
to be able to bear his testimony to the able manner 
in which Mr. Spokes had fulfilled the duties of his office, 
especially on the occasions of the installation of a new 
High Steward of the borough and the laying of the first, 
stone of the new grammar-school by the Prince of Wales, 
He also congratulated him that upon his retirement 
from the mayoralty, he carried with him the stamp of 
her Majesty’s approval in the offer of knighthood that 
had been made to him. 
Mr. Spokes returned thanks in a feeling and eloquent 
speech. 
Mr. Shaw-Lefevre, M.P., also congratulated Mr. 
Spokes upon the success with which he had performed, 
the duties of Mayor for the last two years. He said 
that he had seen the letter written by the Prince of 
Wales to Mr. Gladstone, asking him to advise her- 
Majesty to confer the honour of knighthood upon Mr. 
Spokes, and that it referred in high terms to the enthu¬ 
siasm and loyalty with which the Prince was recently 
received at Reading. 
