59S 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. [January 20, M2. 
even of those who, at the time, entertained them, and 
are replaced by confidence in the prosperity of its future 
career. During eight consecutive summers succeeding 
that first gathering at Newcastle, the number of members 
mustering at the annual session has been steadily in¬ 
creasing ; and we find that of names actually enrolled 
there are at present near upon two thousand. But the 
executive of the Conference ai'o not satisfied with even 
this great development, and they would like to enlist! 
into their ranks every chemist and druggist throughout 
the country. For the present, however, they appeal to j 
their members to assist in electing a few new subscribers 
to enable them to carry on the good work in which they 
are interested. This handsome year-book disposes of a j 
very large proportion of the annual income of the Con¬ 
ference ; surely a few hundred more annual subscribers 
of five shillings will not be wanting when such a quid 
pro quo is offered. 
The Year-Book for 1871 is in every respect a credit¬ 
able performance. It does strike us, however, that in 
common with other similar books it has one defect, and 
that is, that it is too large. In this volume, exclusive of j 
the Transactions of the Conference, there are 468 pages 
of large octavo. Is it possible that mere abstracts of 
pharmaceutical researches can, during a twelvemonth, 
swell to such a bulk ? We are almost inclined to think, 
that most readers of the Year-Book would be grateful 
for further condensation, and on this account, if on 
no other, we think the Editor’s resume of the work of 
the year, which he has inserted in the form of an in¬ 
troduction, is likely to be more read than some other 
parts of the compilation. This introduction is written 
in Mr. Wood’s usual clear style, and is well worth care¬ 
ful perusal; moreover, as already hinted, it possesses the 
strong recommendation of being short. In this retro¬ 
spect, notice is first taken of Dr. Squibb’s elaborate in¬ 
vestigations into percolation, and the results obtained 
by that operation. Further on, in the body of the book, 
a full account is given of these experiments, which the 
editor is right in extolling highly. 
The careful experiments of Mr. Barnes, described at a 
pharmaceutical meeting held November, 1870, are al¬ 
luded to. He showed that the time necessary for the 
maceration of infusions may be, in all cases, reduced to 
one-half, and in some cases even less, without in the 
slightest degree reducing the strength of the resulting- 
liquor. This result will be a source of satisfaction to 
many dispensers, who dislike the use of concentrated 
preparations. It is to be regretted, however, that in the j 
abstract given of Mr. Barnes’s paper, the error in the | 
specific gravities, which was pointed out and corrected j 
immediately after its appearance, is perpetuated. One | 
of the most interesting additions to the chemistry of 
materia medica results from the labours of Professor 
Fliickiger, of Bern. He has established the fact that 
the crystalline principles found in the different varieties 
of aloes are by no means identical, and has succeeded in : 
preparing from Natal and from Zanzibar aloes two i 
bodies which are distinct in chemical reactions from the 
nloin of the Barbadoes variety. 
Dr. Divers has published a most elaborate investiga¬ 
tion into the composition of the carbonates of ammonia, 
and has, to some extent, modified our notions respecting 
their composition. It seems, for instance, that the com¬ 
mercial carbonate of ammonia is, at the present time, 
different from that which has hitherto been known,—the 
proportion of the volatile constituent, carbamate of am- 
jnonia, having apparently increased. Many other dis¬ 
coveries and investigations are also shortly and con¬ 
cisely discussed. No retrospect of this kind would be 
complete without allusion to the continued and increased 
consumption of chloral hydrate, and the tests employed 
for ascertaining its quality. It seems from several papers 
that have been published in connection with this matter, 
that the latter is, on the whole, satisfactory; and, in¬ 
deed, it may be looked upon as a fact creditable to manu¬ 
facturers, that they have been able to overcome so suc¬ 
cessfully the difficulties attending the large production 
of such a peculiar substance as chloral by a reaction so 
complicated as it really is. 
The present Year-Book is a decided improvement on 
the last in one respect, namely, in the more satisfactory 
classification of its contents. 
The articles abstracted from the various journals are 
divided into four sections; “ the first of these is devoted 
to information relating to substances of the animal or 
vegetable materia medica; the second part embraces, 
under the title of pharmaceutical chemistry, those papers 
treating of definite compounds, or referring to purely 
chemical processes; the third, or pharmacy section, com¬ 
prises all galenical preparations; and the fourth compre¬ 
hends, under the general heading of Notes and For¬ 
mula!, memoranda of subsidiary value, but which may 
be, nevertheless, suggestive and useful.” To these four- 
sections is added another, ‘ Bibliography,’ which includes 
a notice of such books as have appeared during the year, 
July, 1870, to June, 1871, treating of subjects of interest 
to pharmacists and students. In the first three reviews 
is given a fairly complete exposition of the theoretical 
views of chemists of the present day. Those whose 
chemistry has become a little rusty, would find it worth, 
while to peruse these notices. 
The latter part of the volume, about a third of the 
whole, is devoted to the report of the proceedings of the 
Conference at the last annual meeting held at Edin¬ 
burgh. This has passed through the hands of Professor 
Attfield. 
Those who had not the advantage of being present at 
that meeting will read with interest the president’s 
address. Mr. Stoddart has the faculty of putting what 
he has to say in a clear and perspicuous style ; and 
being a practical worker himself, he throws into his 
account of the labours of others an enthusiasm which 
does much to gain for them interest and attention. 
The volume is concluded and rendered complete by a 
good index. 
Memoranda on Poisons. By the late Thomas Hawkes 
Tanner, M.D., F.L.S. Third Edition. London: H. 
Renshaw. 1872. 
The present edition of this work claims to be in some 
respects almost a new book. The original object of the 
late author was to have furnished medical practitioners 
with a guide in cases of poisoning. Experience having 
shown the book to be more useful to the student than to- 
the practitioner, it has been remodelled with a view of 
making it still more suitable for the former. A know¬ 
ledge of the doses of poisonous drugs being an important 
part of the pharmaceutical student’s education, this 
modification may perhaps help in providing for his 
wants. "With a view of originating a somewhat more ra¬ 
tional arrangement of the poisons, the present editor has 
provisionally classed them into the following groups :— 
“ Corrosives.—Simple Irritants, Mineral, Vegetable 
and Animal.—Irritant Gases.—Specific Irritants, Mi¬ 
neral, Vegetable and Animal.—Neurotics: subdivided 
into Narcotics, Anaesthetics, Inebriants, Delirants, Con- 
vulsives, Hyposthenisants, Depressants, Asphyxiants,— 
and Abortives.” 
In connection with the fact that there have been 
j several cases recorded where death has resulted from* 
accidental poisoning by carbolic acid, we may notice 
that carbolic acid is not mentioned in this book as a 
poison. 
BOOK RECEIVED. 
A Treatise on the Origin, Nature and Varieties of 
Wine ; being a Complete Manual of Viticulture and 
CEnology. By J. L. W. Thudichum, M.D., and Augusjc 
DuPRk, Ph.D. London: Macmillans. 1872. 
