PHARMACY  IN  JAMAICA. 
351 
Both  wrightine  and  its  salts  have  an  extremely  persistent 
bitter  taste. 
When  digested  with  strong  nitric  acid  it  readily  dissolves, 
giving  off  red  fumes,  and  becoming  oxidized  into  oxalic  acid 
without  the  formation  of  any  picric  or  similar  acid. 
Decoction  of  galls  produces  an  abundant  flocculent  precipitate 
in  a  solution  of  wrightine,  in  acetic  acid ;  this  precipitate  is 
soluble  in  hydrochloric  acid. 
Bichloride  of  platinum  in  solutions  of  wrightine  in  hydro- 
chloric acid,  gives  a  pale  yellow  precipitate,  which  is  not  crys- 
talline. 
Terchloride  of  gold  a  similar  precipitate,  only  of  a  somewhat 
paler  color. 
Perchloride  of  mercury  in  solutions  of  wrightine  produces 
an  abundant  white  flocculent  precipitate.  When  the  pounded 
seeds  are  boiled  for  some  time  with  very  dilute  sulphuric  acid, 
and  rapidly  filtered  through  a  bag  filter,  the  solution  deposits 
on  cooling  a  flocculent  precipitate,  which  is  difficult  to  collect, 
as  it  soon  stops  up  the  pores  of  the  filter.  On  heating  this 
precipitate  after  it  has  been  freed  from  sulphuric  acid  by  wash- 
ing with  cold  water,  it  chars  and  burns,  evolving  an  odor  similar 
to  that  of  burnt  starch. 
It  is  insoluble  in  spirit  of  wine,  but  soluble  in  dilute  sulphuric 
acid,  from  which  it  again  separates  on  cooling  Pharm.  Jour., 
London,  April,  1864. 
PHARMACY  IN  JAMAICA 
We  extract  the  following  from  the  Jamaica  Guardian  of 
January  8,  1864  :— 
»  Several  parties  have  applied  to  us  to  know  what  are  the 
provisions  of  the  Bill  which  has  been  introduced  into  the 
House  of  Assembly  by  the  Government  to  provide  for  the  reg- 
istration of  chemists  and  druggists  in  this  island,  we  take  the 
earliest  possible  opportunity  of  giving  a  synopsis  of  the  meas- 
ure. The  first  clause  provides  that  upon  the  passing  of  the 
Act,  the  Island  Secretary  shall  be  the  registrar,  and  the  office 
of  enrolment  the  registry  office,  of  duly  qualified  chemists  and 
druggists.    The  third  enacts  that  every  person  who,  having  ob- 
