276 
VARIETIES. 
took  some  share  in  the  formation  of  cells,  a  conjecture  which  is  supported  by 
the  circumstance  that  the  amygdalin  in  plants  belonging  to  the  two  groups  is 
chiefly  contained  in  the  fruit  kernels.  On  comparing  the  small  quantity  of 
buds  which  were  employed  for  the  experiments  in  the  autumn  with  the  far 
larger  quantity  of  young  shoots  to  which  his  previous  communication  re- 
ferred, and  estimating  the  quantities  of  hydrocyanic  acid  contained  in  the 
distillates  in  each  case,  the  above  conjecture  becomes  almost  a  certainty. 
The  bark  and  buds  of  Prunus  padus  contain  a 'much  larger  quantity  of  ethe- 
real oil  in  the  autumn  than  was  found  in  his  previous  examination. — Ibid, 
from  Ann.  der  China,  und  Pharm. 
Adulteration  of  Arnica  Leaves. — Zolffel  states  that  he  received  from  a  drug 
dealer,  under  the  name  of  Arnica,  leaves  which  were  altogether  different 
from  those  of  this  plant.  They  were  palmated,  with  five  lobes,  incised  at 
the  apices,  and  serrated,  the  teeth  being  ciliated.  On  closer  examination 
they  proved  to  be  the  leaves  of  Astrantia  major. — London  Pharm.  Journ. from 
Archiv.  der  Pharmacie. 
Permanganate  of  Potass. — This  salt  has  lately  been  recommended  in  some 
forms  of  urinary  disease,  and  it  is  probable  that  it  possesses  medicinal  pro- 
perties that  demand  a  fuller  investigation.  The  dose  of  the  permanganate  of 
potass  is  from  one  to  three  grains  in  solution,  with  three  or  four  tablespoonfuls 
of  water.  This  dose  may  be  given  three  times  a  day,  shortly  before  meals. 
A  London  medical  practitioner,  Mr.  Sampson,  has  published  in  {be  Lancet,  an 
account  of  its  successful  employment  in  diabetes. — London  Ann.  of  Pharm. 
Boracic  Acid. — A  new  source  of  this  important  substance  has  recently 
been  discovered  in  South  America;  beds  of  native  borate  of  lime  having  been 
found  in  Iquigne,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  deposits  of  nitrate  of  soda.  The 
borate  appears  to  exist  in  considerable  quantity,  associated  with  beautifully 
crystallized  glauberite,  or  native  sulphate  of  soda;  similar  to  the  well  known 
salt  which  occurs  in  the  neighborhood  of  Madrid.  The  first  shipment  of  the 
borate  was  recently  sold  at  Liverpool,  at  60s.  a  cwt. — Ibid,  from  Journ.  of  the 
Society  of  Arts. 
Statistics  of  the  Philadelphia  Gas  Works. — The  following  Statistics  are 
selected  from  an  article  in  the  Franklin  Institute  Journal,  noticing  the  18th 
annual  Report  of  Mr.  Cresson  the  Engineer. 
The  total  amount  of  coal  used  in  the  retorts  was  680,792  bushels,  which 
yielded  216,216,000  cubic  feet  of  gas,  and  855,512  bushels  of  coke.  On  an 
average  therefore  a  bushel  of  coal  yielded  316.13  cubic  feet  of  gas,  and 
1.26  bushels  of  coke. 
The  total  length  of  the  street  main  pipes  now  laid,  (in  the  City  proper,) 
varying  from  2  to  20  inches  in  diameter,  is  144  miles. 
The  Philadelphia  Gas  Works  is  the  largest,  and  was  one  of  the  first 
establishments  of  the  kind  in  the  United  States ;  and  the  price  of  gas  is 
