140  Reviews  and  Bibliographical  Notices,  {^wh^im* 
rates,  and  briefly  described  the  process  in  Anzeigerd.  Kais.  Akad.d.Wiss.  No. 
1.  Mercury  oxy-iodide  was  treated  with  a  solution  of  iodine  in  potassium  iodide  ; 
after  two  weeks  the  excess  of  the  oxy-iodide  was  covered  with  a  crystalline 
crust  which  dissolved  neither  in  water  nor  in  aqueous  hydriodic  acid.  On  at- 
tempting to  break  the  crust  with  a  glass  rod,  a  violent  explosion  took  place 
shattering  not  only  the  vessel,  but  also  the  test  bottles  standing  upon  the  same 
table.  Professor  Schneider  was  seriously  wounded  in  the  face  and  particularly 
about  the  eyes,  but  is  doing  well  and  expects  to  soon  investigate  the  nature  of 
this  dangerous  compound.  Cyanogen  and  ammonia  were  absent,  so  that  the 
explosion  could  not  have  been  due  to  the  formation  of  nitrogen  iodide. 
Mr.  Charles  Rice,  of  New  York,  was  badly  burned  on  the  left  side  of  the  face 
and  on  the  left  hand,  by  the  bursting  of  a  sealed  tube  in  which  he  was  pre- 
paring some  apomorphia,  a  new  therapeutical  agent,  the  tube  being  heated  in 
an  oil  bath.    We  are  glad  to  learn  that  the  sufferer  is  doing  well. 
Being  requested  to  prepare  some  monobromated  camphor,  we  experimented 
first  on  a  small  scale  with  S warts'  method  by  heating  the  requisite  quantities 
of  bromine  and  camphor  under  pressure  to  212°  P.  The  experiment  was  suc- 
cessful, bnt  the  pressure  in  the  vessel  had  evidently  been  very  considerable,  in 
consequence  of  the  volatile  nature  of  the  articles  used  and  of  the  products  of 
decomposition.  In  attempting  now  to  make  a  larger  quantity,  suitable  precau- 
tions against  a  possible  explosion  were  adopted,  and  not  in  vain  ;  for  an  explo- 
sion occurred  in  which  nearly  the  entire  charge  was  lost,  but  without  doing  any 
injury.  We  are  now  endeavoring  to  procure  this,  substitution  compound  by  a 
less  dangerous  process. 
REVIEWS  AND  J3IBLI0 SRAPHIO AL  NOTICES. 
Jahresbericht  uber  die  Fortschritte  der  Pharmacognosie.  Pharrnacie  und  Toxi- 
cologic, heraungegeben  von  Med. -Rath  Dr.  Wiggers.  Prof,  in  Gottingen  und 
Dr.  A.  Hmemann.  Prof,  in  Chur.  Neue  Folge'.h  Jahrgang,  1870.  Gottingen. 
Yandenhoeck  &  Ruprecht's  Verlag,  187 1. 
Annual  report  on  the  progress  of  Pharmacognosy,  Pharmacy  and  Toxicol- 
ogy.   Svo.    636  pages. 
The  systematic  arrangement  of  the  literature  of  the  above  mentioned  branches 
of  science  is  the  same  as  adopted  in  the  previous  volume.  The  numerous  es- 
says are  judiciously  condensed,  presenting  all  the  important  facts  and  details 
of  the  various  investigations  and  observations  ;  and  frequent  references  to  the 
same  subjects  investigated  in  previous  years,  enhance  the  value  of  the  work 
and  are  calculated  to  complete  the  picture  of  the  preseut  status  of  our  scien- 
tific knowledge.  The  following  subjects  in  the  volume  before  us  are  of  partic- 
ular importance  and  interest:  Inulin,  treated  upon  9  pages  ;  Sarsaparilla,  7 
pages;  Cubebs,  9  pages  ;  the  fruit  of  Mezereon,  5.  paces  ;  Tampico  jalap,  4 
pages  ;  Hyoscyamus,  4  pages  ;  Cinchona,  42  pages  ;  Manna.  7  pages  ;  Conium 
fruit,  6  pages  ;  Aconite,  12  pages;  Opium,  21  pages;  Mustard,  3  pages; 
Guarana,  5  pages;  Ricinus,  5  pages  ;  :  fixed  oils,  .12  pages  ;  volatile  oils,.  £0 
pages;  alcohols  and  derivatives,  49  pages;  extracts,  9  pages,  &c. 
