POISONOUS  PROPERTIES  OP  THALLIUM. 
77 
coolest.  When  we  wish  to  bleach  oils  in  our  windows,  it  would 
be  well  for  us  always  to  be  particular  what  tint  the  glass  bottle 
has  into  which  we  place  the  oil.  Colorless  glass,  of  course, 
would  be  the  best.  It  is  possible  that  light  affects  the  brilliancy 
of  our  tinctures  as  much  as  the  air.  Take  tincture  of  myrrh 
for  example  :»  when  it  becomes  muddy,  the  remedy  suggested  is 
to  make  up  (with  more  spirit)  the  deficiency  lost  in  evapora- 
tion ;  but  the  addition  of  the  spirit  does  not  dissolve  the  de- 
posit, nor  yet  brighten  the  tincture.  The  insoluble  sediment  is 
said  to  be  oxidized :  now  this  is  questionable,  for  gums  in  the 
preparation  of  varnishes  are  said  to  be  much  more  easily  dis- 
solved by  being  freely  exposed  in  a  powdered  state  to  the  action 
of  the  air,  or,  in  other  words,  oxidized.  May  the  light  (in  this 
case  and  many  others)  not  be  the  cause  of  chemical  action  ? 
The,  use  of  yellow  bottles  on  our  shelves  might  change  the 
appearance  of  shops ;  it  would  compel  the  use  of  a  different 
kind  of  label,  as  the  gold  label  would  not  contrast  well  with 
yellow  bottles.  ChevreuFs  principles  would  lead  us  to  choose  a 
label  of  a  violet  hue,  or  a  color  complementary  to  yellow,  so 
that  the  harmony  of  colors  might  be  preserved. 
The  objection  to  the  use  of  the  yellow  glass  in  the  window 
would  be  that  it  might  interfere  with  the  health  of  assistants  by 
checking  that  portion  of  the  light  which  is  so  essential  to  life. 
I  remember  having  seen  somewhere  an  account  of  some  factory 
inspector  who  objected  to  yellow  coloring  in  houses,  as  he  always 
found  the  people,  most  unhealthy  in  them.  The  subject  may 
possibly  be  worthy  the  attention  of  those  versed  in  such  mat- 
ters.— Lond.  Pharm*  Journ.,  Nov.,  1863. 
Hexham,  October  15,  1863. 
POISONOUS  PROPERTIES  OF  THALLIUM. 
M.  Lamy,  through  M.  Dumas,  tells  the  Academy  of  Sciences 
that  thallium — one  of  the  new  bodies  discovered  through  spec- 
tral analysis — has  poisonous  properties.  A  very  small  quantity 
suffices  for  the  destruction  of  dogs,  rabbits,  and  fowls.  The  chief 
symptoms  are  intestinal  pains,  tremblings,  paralysis  of  lower 
extremities,  and  death.  M.  Lamy  was  led  to  consider  thallium 
a  poison,  in  consequence  of  having  experienced,  during  his  pre- 
