562 
NON-CERTIFICATED PRACTITIONERS. 
pupils collected some of these crystals, analysed them, and 
pronounced them to consist entirely of chloride of sodium. 
As I had never heard of chloride of sodium crystallizing in 
needles, their examination was repeated, but still the same 
results were obtained. Some of the crystals were next dis¬ 
solved in water, and the solution produced submitted to 
spontaneous evaporation, when the whole of the salt deposited 
in the ordinary or cubical form. This result, therefore, fully 
confirms the conclusions deduced from analysis. 
The crystals, some of which are nearly half an inch long, 
appear to be rectangular prisms, terminated by four-sided 
pyramids. They are beautifully clear, colourless, trans¬ 
parent, elastic, longitudinally and transversely striated, and 
many are bent or contorted in a manner similar to the native 
hydrated sulphate of lime called selenite by mineralogists. 
The acicular crystals are anhydrous, and undergo no change 
in form, or diminution in transparency, when exposed to air at 
ordinary temperatures, or even at a low, red heat. The 
needles of chloride of sodium possess one property which is 
a very familiar characteristic of the cubical salt, namely, that 
when heated, they decrepitate. It is singular to remark that, 
at all events as far as we know at present, acicular 
varieties of the chlorides of potassium and of sodium are only 
developed in the presence of organic matter, just as the pro¬ 
duction of octahedral chloride of sodium appears to be due to 
the solution from which it crystallizes containing urea. 
Since writing the foregoing I have observed an efflorescence 
of acicular chloride of sodium on an animal deposit, which 
was sent me for analysis, and which had been originally 
mixed with a solution of common salt to prevent it under¬ 
going putrefaction. 
ON NON-CERTIFICATED PRACTITIONERS. 
By C. S. Green, M.R.C.Y.S., Winchester. 
In the June number of the Veterinarian I observe that the 
subject of persons practising as veterinary surgeons without 
a diploma is brought forward. On looking over the published 
list of human surgeons, &c., I find the following statements 
having reference to the illegality of practising as apothecaries 
without possessing the necessary qualifications, and thinking 
that it might throw some light on the course to be pursued, 
