470 
VARIETIES. 
nearly  40;000  miles.  Of  this  amount  there  were  nearly  4000  miles  in  Great 
Britain,  of  which  100  miles  only  were  underground,  with  about  400  or  500 
miles  in  course  of  construction  in  England,  Scotland  and  Ireland,  and  as  many 
more  projected.  In  America  there  were  20,000  miles  of  telegraph  completed 
and  in  operation,  with  10,000  more  in  process  of  construction,  uniting  in  one 
great  network  the  principal  cities  of  the  United  States,  the  Atlantic  and  Pa- 
cific Oceans,  and  the  extreme  boundaries  of  that  extensive  continent.  In 
Europe  there  were  about  11,000  or  12,000  miles  of  telegraph  in  operation, 
and  as  many  more  projected  or  in  progress.  In  Germany  there  were  3000 
miles  completed;  in  Austria  3000,  and  in  Prussia  between  3000  and  4000 
miles.  France,  until  lately  in  the  rear  of  other  nations,  is  now  extending 
her  telegraphic  lines  in  all  directions,  her  completed  mileage  at  the  present 
moment  being  small  compared  with  that  of  other  countries,  her  principal 
communications  being  those  between  London  and  Paris,  Strasburg,  and 
Marseilles.  Russia  has  just  commenced  her  system  of  telegraphs  between 
St.  Petersburg,  Moscow,  and  Cracow,  and  the  ports  on  the  Baltic  and  Black 
Seas.  In  addition  to  her  existing  line  between  Naples  and  Gaeta,  Italy  is 
continuing  the  Neapolitan  line  from  Terracina  to  Rome,  so  as  to  connect 
with  the  lines  of  Upper  Italy.  Denmark  has  about  400  miles  of  telegraph. 
Belgium  500,  and  the  Netherlands  line  has  just  been  completed  from  Am- 
sterdam to  the  Hague.  About  4000  miles  are  about  to  be  constructed  in 
India.  Switzerland  is  introducing  the  instantaneous  communicator,  as  well 
as  other  continental  cities,  so  that  the  only  unsupplied  portions  that  will  soon 
present  themselves  on  a  telegraphic  map  of  the  world  will  be  Australia, 
Africa  and  China. — Franklin  Inst.  Journ.,  from  London  Mechanics'1  Magazine, 
Fraudulent  Substitution  of  Quinidin  for  Quinine. — Sir, — We  think  that  a 
fraud  is  perpetrated  with  sulphate  of  quinidine,  against  which  we  think  it 
right  to  put  the  trade  on  their  guard.  It  has  hitherto  been  sent  out  in  a  squat 
bottle  with  a  red  label  and  a  seal,  bearing  our  name  and  address,  but  without 
the  name  of  the  article.  Certain  parties  have  removed  the  red  label,  leaving 
the  seal  on,  and  then  sold  it  as  our  sulphate  of  quinine.  We  beg,  therefore, 
to  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  our  quinine  in  vials  always  bears  a  while 
label  and  a  red  seal,  with  quinince  sulphas  engraved  in  the  centre,  and  that  in 
future  our  quinidin  will  bear  a  red  label  and  a  green  seal,  with  "  sulphate  of 
quinidin"  engraved  in  the  centre.  Against  the  fraud  of  retailing  quinidin  in 
small  quantities  as  quinine,  we  believe  there  is  no  better  security  than  testing 
it  in  any  case  of  suspicion,  with  the  ether  and  ammonia  test,  which  has 
already  appeared  in  your  Journal.  For  this  purpose,  the  following  modifi- 
cations will  be  found  convenient:  mix  extra  light  ether  and  liq.  amnion., 
P.  L.,  of  each  a  drachm,  in  a  vial,  and  add  six  grains  of  the  suspected  salt, 
shaking  the  whole  well  together.  The  quinidine,  if  any  be  present,  will 
remain  undissolved  in  the  form  of  a  powder,  more  or  less  crystalline. 
We  are,  Sir,  yours  very  respectfully.  Howards  &  Kent. 
To  the  Editor  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Journal. 
Stratford,  near  London,  May  21,  1853.  [Thar.  Jjur.  June,  1853. 
