192 
EDITORIAL. 
Handbook  is  now  in  press,  and  that  it  may  be  expected  by  the  last  of  April. 
We  also  take  this  opportunity  to  say  that  the  last  invoice  of  bool^s  from 
London  embraced  several  copies  of  Gmelin,  from  the  2d  to  the  13th  volumes, 
inclusive,  vrhich  are  held  for  sale — the  first  volume  being  out  of  print. 
California  Yeast. — Since  our  issue  of  September  last,  several  communi- 
cations have  been  received  relative  to  the  so-called  "  California  Beer  Plant." 
Mr.  Perrot,  of  Philadelphia,  mvrs  informed  that — 
*'  A  party  of  California  gold  diggers  left  a  pan  containing  some  molasses 
under  a  tree,  and  on  returning  to  the  same  spot  after  a  few  days,  during 
which  period  it  had  rained,  they  found  it  to  contain  a  liquid  resembling 
beer;  hence  its  name. 
Probably  some  nitrogenous  matter  from  the  tree  fell  into  the  pan  during 
the  rain,  which  subsequently  originated  the  fermentation  of  the  sugar.'' 
Mr.  G.  W.  McFee,  of  Monroe,  La.,  after  examining  the  "California  Beer 
Seed,"  is  "  disposed  to  think  it  is  nothing  but  the  result  of  fermenta,tion," 
and  finds  that,  "  if  you  mix  half  a  pint  of  molasses  with  a  quart  of  Water, 
and  set  it  in  the  sun,  this  ferment  will  form  in  the  bottom  of  the  jar,  and 
will  continue  to  form  on  the  addition  of  fresh  portions  of  syrup  or  molasses 
and  water,  resembling  the  '  seed'  in  every  particular." 
We  doubt  not  these  inferences  are  correct,  and  that  all  those  who  ima- 
gined unpleasant  results  to  arise  from  the  use  of  bread  made  with  the 
"  California  Yeast,"  will  have  to  attribute  such  effects  to  other  and  graver 
causes  than  the  ferment  in  question. 
Obituary. — Thomas  Southall,  of  Birmingham,  England,  a  valued 
member  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Society  of  Great  Britain,  died  at  Edg- 
bastin,  Birmingham,  January  12th,  1861,  after  a  few  days'  illness,  from  in- 
flammation of  the  lungs.  Mr.  Southall  was  born  in  Leominster  in  1795,  and 
was  apprenticed  to  the  late  John  Bell,  of  Oxford  street,  London,  father  of 
the  late  Jacob  Bell.  Mr.  Southall  was  a  prominent  member  of  the  Soci- 
ety of  Friends,  and  one  of  the  founders  and  supporters  of  the  Pharmaceu- 
tical Society,  and  a  contributor  to  the  pages  of  its  Journal.  His  retiring, 
modest  character  always  prevented  Mr.  Southall  from  accepting  public 
honors  or  employment.  As  a  pharmaceutist,  he  stood  deservedly  high. 
The  Birmingham  Gazette,  from  which  we  extract  most  of  the  above,  attri- 
butes to  this  gentleman  a  most  unselfish  and  liberal  character,  united  tD"a 
modesty  that  was  invincible  to  all  the  temptations  of  honor  and  position. 
Dr.  Klotzsch. — Died  at  Berlin  on  the  5th  of  November,  1860^  Professor 
Johann  Frederick  Klotzsch,  M.  D.,  Ph.  D.,  aged  55  years.  Dr.  Klotzsch 
was  originally  an  assistant  apothecary,  and  diligently  pursued  the  study 
of  natural  history,  and  especially  of  botany.  He  was  at  one  time  curator 
of  the  herbarium  of  Sir  William  J.  Hooker,  and  subsequently  of  the  Royal 
Herbarium  of  Berlin.  Dr.  K.  was  a  careful  and  laborious  observer,  and 
wrote  much  on  botanical  and  pharmacological  subjects. 
