546 
PHARMACY  IN  PIEDMONT. 
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  chlo- 
ride 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,  the  acicular  varieties  of  the  chlorides  of  potassium 
and  of  sodium  are  only  developed  in  the  presence  of  organic 
matter,  just  as  the  production  of  octohedral  chloride  of  sodium 
appears  to  be  due  to  the  solution  from  which  it  crystallizes,  con- 
taining 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  its  undergoing  putrefac- 
tion.— London  Pharm.  Journ.  Augvst,  1860. 
PHARMACY  IN  PIEDMONT. 
By  Sutton  Sharpe. 
A  tour  through  Piedmont  during  the  memorable  days  of  last 
year's  campaign,  as  a  privileged  follower  in  the  footsteps  of  the 
French  army,  brought  me  in  contact  with  our  brethren  in 
regions  rarely,  if  ever,  trod  by  the  most  erratic  Of  our  race. 
The  rapid  retreat  of  the  Austrians  across  the  Ticino,  and  the 
forced  marches  of  the  allied  army  in  their  pursuit,  however, 
gave  me  few  opportunities  to  obtain  materials,  as  towns  and 
villages  were  often  passed  in  the  dead  of  night,  and  it  was  only 
at  Alessandria,  Novara,  and  Turbigo,  that  the  bivouac  was  suffi- 
ciently long  to  allow  time  for  observation.  But  a  still  later 
visit  in  the  less  interesting  capacity  of  commis-voyageur  offered 
me  every  facility  fcr  examining  into  the  condition  and  resources 
of  the  Piedmontese  chemist ;  a  mortal  by  no  means  the  most 
enviable  in  the  legion  of  Galen's  disciples.  The  principle  of 
compulsory  examination  has  long  existed  throughout  Europe, 
imposed  with  more  or  less  severity  as  necessity  may  suggest ; 
and  one  marvels  that  in  England  contending  elements  should 
