720 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[March 2, 1872. 
due to the fact that upon the chin the male has culti¬ 
vated it by a sort of Darwinian development. Certainly 
it might be called a ‘struggle for existence’ in some 
cases. He says, “Hereditary tendency has handed 
down to us the beard, as it has done our physiognomies 
and our diseases. The young man arrives at puberty, 
and he expects his hairy ornament. How patiently he 
strokes his chin day by day! how constantly does he 
watch the embryo hair! No sooner does it appear 
through the skin than razor and unguent, spirit and 
attention are poured upon it, and as thought draws an 
increased flow of blood to any part, so the beard gets j 
more than its share.” He is also of opinion that our 
mightiest thinkers,—instancing Byron, Milton, Thiers, 
Dante, Johnson, Burke, Sheridan and Goldsmith,—have 
been smooth-faced. According to the above theory, we 
suppose this has arisen from their having something 
better to think about. But the development idea clashes 
sadly with those acknowledged authorities, the picture- 
books of our childhood, where Adam is always repre¬ 
sented with whiskers at least. 
We conclude by expressing an opinion that this book 
will be honoured by a larger proportion of second read¬ 
ings than many a more pretentious one. 
MEETINGS FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. 
Monday. 
March 4. 
Tuesday 
March 5. 
Wednesday. 
March 6. 
Thursday. 
March 7. 
Friday 
March 8. 
Saturday. 
...London Institution, at 4 p.m.—“E lementary 
Chemistry.” By Professor Odling. 
Medical Society, at 8 p.m. 
..Poval Institution, at 3 p.m. —“On the Ner- 
vous and Circulating Systems.” By Hr. 
Rutherford. 
..Pharmaceutical Society of Great Pritain, 
at 8.30 p.m. “ The Pharmaceutical Pre¬ 
parations of Ipecacuanha.” By Dr. Dyce 
Duckworth. “Note on Cinchona calop- 
tera, Miq.” By Dr. J. E. De Vry. 
Society of Arts, at 8 p.m. —“The Goliath 
Training Ship.” By Capt. Bourchier, R.N. 
Poyal Microscopical Society, at 8 p.m. 
...Poyal Society, at 8.30 p.m. 
Chemical Society, at 8 p.m. —“ The Reduction 
of Ethylic Oxalate by Sodium Amalgam.” 
By Dr. Debus. “On Metastannic Acid 
and the Detection and Estimation of Tin.” 
By Mr. A. H. Allen. 
Linnean Society, at 8 P.M. 
Poyal Institution, at 3 p.m. —“ The Chemistry 
of Alkalies and Alkali Manufacture.” By 
Professor Odling. 
..Poyal Institution, at 9 P.M. —“Eaults of 
Vision in Painting.” By Mr. Liebreich. 
Qtiekett Cltib, at 8 P.M. 
..Poyal Potanic Society, at 3.45 p.m. 
Hates ititH Diracs. 
*** 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. 
No notice can be taken of anonymous communications. 
All queries or answers should be accompanied by the name 
and address of the writer. 
[308.]—COLOURING FOR VARNISH.—“ Ignora¬ 
mus” wishes to be informed of an economical process for 
colouring shellac-varnish without sediment, to produce 
a light yellow colour upon wood. 
[309.]—FLUID EXTRACT OF SARSAPARILLA 
AND QUININE.—“ Spero” asks for a formula for pre¬ 
paring a clear mixture of fluid extract of sarsaparilla 
and quinine. 
[310.]—GOLD PAINT.— W. T. will feel obliged by 
a recipe for making gold paint that will keep its colour, 
to use instead of gold leaf. 
[311.]—THE COATING OE IRON WITH ANTI¬ 
MONY.— G. P. wishes to be informed of a cheap, simple 
and expeditious process for coating iron with. antimony. 
*** No notice can be taken of anonymous communica¬ 
tions. Whatever is intended for insertion must be authenti¬ 
cated by the name and address of the writer ; not necessarily 
for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith. 
Hydrocyanic Acid. 
Sir,—In Mr. Gilmour’s paper on “Volumetric Analysis ” 
(a subject to which I hope he may again refer), he pointed 
out the extreme variability in the strength of acid, hydro¬ 
cyanic. 
Some short time back I tested a sample of Scheele’s acid 
kept in an ounce stoppered bottle in a cool place. There 
was about two drachms left in, and this gave, with the nitrate- 
of silver test, only 0 - 5 per cent. The stock from which it 
was taken, a Winchester quart nearly full, gave 4-5 per cent. 
G. C. Druce. 
W. FI—Any arsenic that is sold without complying with 
the provisions of section 3 of the Arsenic Act must be sold 
under the regulations laid down in section 17 of the Phar¬ 
macy Act. 
“ Inquirer .” —For additional information on the subject 
referred to, you are recommended to apply at the Admiralty. 
W. A. G. —Clause 15 of the Pharmacy Act, 1868, provides- 
that it shall be unlawful for any person to “ take, use or ex¬ 
hibit the name or title pharmaceutical chemist, pharmaceu¬ 
tist or pharmacist, not being a pharmaceutical chemist.” 
“ A Minor Associate .”—A “ general knowledge of the- 
elementary structure of plants” is required in the Minor 
examination; but an “ intimate acquaintance with the parts 
of the flower, fruit and seed,” and “the functions of the dif¬ 
ferent organs of plants,” is required in the Major. Apply to 
the Secretary for “ the Regulations of the Board of Exa¬ 
miners.” 
W. J. —The Modified examinaiion was instituted to meet 
the case of those who were connected with the business at 
the time of the passing of the Pharmacy Act, but not then 
entitled to be placed on the Register. The fact of having- 
passed it, however, does not obviate the passing of the Pre¬ 
liminary before seeking to pass the Minor examination, nor 
does it make any difference in the fees. 
“ Frankincense.” —See some recipes in Vol. I. of the present 
series, p. 1043. 
W. Wyles. —No. The word tertiam is doubtless intended 
for tantum (“only”) in the original prescription. “A draught 
containing eight minims of tincture of opium to be taken 
immediately, and repeated every five hours with three minims 
only of tincture of opium.” 
“ Veritas —Dissolve the iodide in the water, add the 
syrup, and lastly the fluid extract gradually. Appearance; a. 
slightly opaque dark brown. 
S. N. —(1.) One is as good as the other; the names are 
practically s 3 r nonymous, (2.) Page’s ‘ Introductory Text- 
Book of Geology,’ published by Blackwood and Sons, price 2s. 
T. H. writing in reference to the case of accidental poison¬ 
ing at Caldbeck, remarks that it does not appear why the 
powder should have been an “unusually large one,” since 
calomel is not a drug likely to mak§ a large powder if a 
proper dose be given; and again, supposing it had been for 
the father, two and a half grains of opium would have been 
a slightly dangerous dose, even for him. 
The following journals have been received:—The ‘British- 
Medical Journal,’ Eeb. 24; the ‘Medical Times and Gazette,’' 
Feb. 24; the ‘Lancet,’ Feb. 24; the ‘ Medical Press and Cir¬ 
cular,’ Feb. 28 ; ‘ Nature,’ Feb. 24 ; the ‘ Chemical News,’ Feb. 
24; ‘English Mechanic,’ Feb. 23; ‘Gardeners’ Chronicle,’ 
Feb. 24; the ‘Grocer,’ Feb. 24; the ‘Journal of the Society 
of Arts,’ Feb. 24; the ‘ Chemists and Druggist’s Advocate,’ 
Feb. 20; the ‘Oldham Evening Express,’ Feb. 26 and Feb. 
28; the ‘Edinburgh Courant,’ Feb. 24. 
Communications, Letters, etc., have been received from 
Mr. O. Reade, Mr. J. Hallawell, Mr. J. E. Howard, Mr. J. 
Goodrich, Mr. Neil Reid, Mr. Symes, J. K., M. P. S., “In¬ 
quirer.” 
