498 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. [December 16,1871. 
The trivial or vernacular namoa are appended to the 
plants, in many cases identical with trio^o given in other 
countries to widely different plants, thus slio-rcing the 
necessity in quoting a native name, to append the name 
of the locality or country in which it is used. Nothing 
is more natural than for a person leaving one country, 
with its scenes and associations vividly impressed on his 
mind, on arriving in a new one to endeavour to per¬ 
petuate these associations by naming the surrounding- 
objects in accordance therewith. By reference to the 
index we find from thirty to fifty plants are mentioned 
as alteratives, antiperiodics, aromatics, astringents, ca¬ 
thartics, diuretics and narcotics. 
But here we must draw our lengthy notice to a close. 
Though events happily have not driven the Southern 
States to the dire necessity of finding in their own area 
all the supplies for the real and artificial wants of their 
inhabitants, yet the information cannot but prove of 
value. Though the book is not original, yet the author 
has brought together, in an available form, the scattered 
literature of the subject, and has not failed to indicate 
his authorities,—a virtue, sad to say, regarded as some¬ 
what antiquated, the work of the clever paraphrast pass¬ 
ing often as original. 
The Chemists and Druggists’ Diary and Pharma¬ 
ceutical Text-book, 1872. London: ‘Chemist and 
Druggist ’ Office. 
A “ sign of the times ” has reached us in the shape of 
the annual issue of this useful book. As this is the 
fourth occasion upon which the publishers have provided 
a diary specially prepared to meet the convenience of 
chemists and druggists, it is only fair to infer that the 
speculation in past years has been a successful one. We 
venture to predict that the present will be no loss so, 
and that many more times the ‘ Chemists and Druggists’ 
Diary ’ will appear with the fogs, frosts and snows of 
the closing year to help to supply our wants in the new 
one. 
In one respect, at least, the Diary just published is an 
improvement upon its predecessors: the size of the page 
is_doubled. This alteration, although not going quite as 
far as our suggestion last year, allows a much larger space 
for each day’s entries. In the pages set apart for lite¬ 
rary matter the principal feature this year is a collection 
of pharmaceutical formulai of compounds, Continental 
in their origin, but frequently demanded from the phar¬ 
macist in this country. They are arranged under the 
respective headings of “France,” “Prussia,” “Austria,” 
“Saxony,” “Russia,” and “Denmark, Norway and 
Sweden.” These formulae have been compiled by Messrs. 
Joseph Ince and S. W. Rich, of London; F. Froedman, 
of St. Petersburg, and H. Folker, of Dresden. As we 
have a guarantee that no formula is given that has not 
been frequently used by the writer himself, there is here, 
doubtless, a great quantity of valuable information 
brought within a small compass, though we are inclined 
to doubt the propriety of classing some of it under 
the respective countries. For instance, there does not 
appear to be anything peculiar to the formula for “ foie 
de soufre,” or “ liver of sulphur,” that may not be 
found in the potassa sulphurata, B.P. The ingredients 
are the same in the same proportions, and the manipula¬ 
tion does not appear materially to differ. Under the 
heading “United States,” are given a list of all the 
preparations of the U. S. Pharmacopoeia, which have 
no direct representatives in the B. P., and a list of dif¬ 
ferences in the preparations which are common to both 
Pharmacopoeias. 
Among the other matter specially interesting to phar¬ 
macists, we may mention abstracts of Acts of Parliament 
likely to affect them ;—a “ Table of Maximum Doses,” 
and an “ Approximate Table of Solubilities.” Solu¬ 
bilities have frequently given rise to difference of opinion, 
and the word “approximate” gives a certain amount of 
latitude : but we think this is overstepped in some cases, 
in this table, e. g. when the solubility of acetate of potash 
in cold water is given as one part of the acetate in two of 
water. 
The Diary is published in two forms, one being inter¬ 
leaved with blotting paper and in superior binding. 
Besides the subjects mentioned above, it contains a fair 
quantity of the information usually accompanying al¬ 
manacks. 
PROFESSOR SPOONER. 
It is with regret that we have to announce the death 
of Professor Spooner, who for many years occupied _th& 
most prominent position in the veterinary profession. 
Professor Spooner entered the Royal Veterinary College 
as a student in the year 1828, and after attending. the 
then limited course of study in that institution, obtained 
the diploma entitling him to practise as a veterinary 
surgeon. He afterwards established classes for private 
instruction outside the College walls, and conducted 
them with great success for about nine years. During 
a part of this period he held the post of veterinary sur¬ 
geon to the Zoological Society. The first collegiate ap¬ 
pointment he received was that of Demonstrator of Ana¬ 
tomy to the Royal Veterinary College, and after passing 
through the grades of Deputy-Proiessor and Professor, 
he ultimately rose to the position of Principal. This 
last oflice he held for eighteen years, and until he died 
of disease of the heart on the 24th ult., Professor 
Spooner was a most eloquent lecturer as well as a dear- 
expositor of veterinary science, and to him a large pro¬ 
portion of the present generation of veterinary surgeons, 
are indebted for much of their professional education. 
As a witness in cases of veterinary jurisprudence few, if' 
any, could equal him ; and from his great and varied ex¬ 
perience, his testimony and opinion were highly valued 
by judge, jury and client. Professor Spooner became. 
President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons- 
in 1858 ; he was also a member of council, and an ex officio 
member of the board of examiners. By many’- his loss, 
will be keenly felt, for they will be deprived of a soundi 
professional adviser and a staunch friend. 
MEETINGS FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. 
Monday . Medical Society, at 9 p.m. 
Dec. 18. London Institution, at 4 p.m. —“Locomo¬ 
tion, Voice and Speech.” By Professor 
Huxley. (Educational Course.) 
Thursday . Chemical Society, at 8 p.m. “On Eulyta- 
Dec. 21. and Dyslyte.” By H. Bassett. 
Linnean Society, at 8 p.m. 
London Tnstitution, at 4 P.M. —“ The Phi¬ 
losophy of Magic.” By J. C. Brough* 
(Holiday Course.) 
VACANCIES AND APPOINTMENTS IN CONNEC¬ 
TION WITH PHARMACY. 
The JEditor to ill he glad to receive early notice of any 
vacancies of pharmaceutical offices connected with publio 
institutions, and likewise of appointments that are made r 
—in order that they may be published regularly in tha- 
Journal. 
appointment. 
Mr. F. J. Barrett, Pharmaceutist to the South Stafford¬ 
shire General Hospital, has received the additional appoint¬ 
ment of Chemist and Analyst to the same Institution. 
