EDITORIAL. 
477 
ably  not  have  attracted  that  attention  which  it  merits,  but  which,  we 
hope,  it  will  receive  now  both  at  home  and  abroad. 
The  introductory  remarks  are  concluded  on  page  61  ;  the  remainder  of 
the  wrork  is  divided  into  two  parts, — the  inorganic  and  organic  poisons. 
The  first  part  treats  of  the  alkalies,  including  ammonia,  of  tho  mineral 
acids,  of  oxalic  and  hydrocyanic  acids,  phosphorus,  iu  connection  with 
which  phosphoric  acid  is  noticed,  antimony,  arsenic,  mercury,  lead,  copper, 
and  zinc.  Under  the  head  of  vegetable  poisons  are  treated  nicotia,  conia, 
opium  with  its  alkaloids,  meconic  acid  and  opianyl,  nux  vomica  and  its 
alkaloids,  aconitia,  atropia,  daturia,  veratria  and  solania. 
It  will  be  seen  that  the  compass  of  the  work  is  circumscribed,  notwith- 
standing the  author  has  labored  at  it  since  1857.  We  miss  among  the 
inorganic  poisons  those  corrosive  elements  iodine  and  bromine,  then  bary- 
ta, strontia,  tin,  and  other  heavy  metals.  Among  the  vegetable  poisons 
the  following  alkaloids  are  not  noticed  :  delphinia,  sanguinarina,  emetia, 
hyoscyamia,  colchicia  and  lobelina,  likewise  digitalin,  picrotoxin  and  some 
other  compounds.  It  is  to  bo  hoped  that  the  author  may  find  time  to  con- 
tinue his  researches  with  them,  and  embody  the  results  either  in  a  future 
edition  of  his  work,  or  in  a  separate  volume. 
The  materia]  of  each  article  is  arranged  in  about  the  following  order  : 
history,  physiological  effects,  symptoms,  treatment,  post  mortem  appear- 
ance, chemical  nature,  special  chemical  properties  (reactions  and  tests), 
separation  from  organic  mixtures,  quantitative  analysis.  That  portion  re- 
lating to  the  action  and  treatment  is  of  less  direct  interest  to  the  pharma- 
cist ;  still  desirable,  if  not  important  for  him  to  know,  are  the  facts  in  re- 
gard to  the  smallest  fatal  doses,  the  rapidity  of  action,  and  the  proper 
treatment,  which  are  related  with  minuteness, 
Reading  over  the  chemical  portion  of  the  work,  we  were  pleased  with  the 
clearness  and  precision  of  the  descriptions  in  general,  though  occasionally 
a  want  in  this  respect  may  be  noticed. 
The  use  of  the  antiquated  term  subcarbonate  of  potash,  on  page  G7,  was 
doubtless  accidental  and  subsequently  overlooked,  since  we  have  met  with 
it  but  once,  while  in  ail  other  cases  the  proper  chemical  term  carbonate,  or 
protocarbonate,  is  employed.  On  page  72  it  is  stated  that  fused  potassa, 
"  when  pure,  is  a  white  solid,  but  as  usually  met  with  in  the  shops  in  the 
form  of  little  sticks,  it  has  a  greyish  or  brownish  color. "  We  hope  the 
author  may  be  mistaken,*  and  that  even  in  the  far  West  the  purer  white 
compound  is  kept  on  hand  by  pharmacists.  On  page  95,  the  distillation 
of  liquid  organic  mixtures  at  a  moderate  heat  is  recommended  to  separate 
any  of  the  ammonia  or  its  carbonate  present.  It  is  difficult  to  convey  in  a 
few  words  an  idea  of  the  different  behaviour  in  this  respect  of  ammonia 
and  its  carbonates.  While  a  greater  portion  of  the  alkali  is  rea-lily  ob- 
tainable at#  moderate  heat,  unless  it  be  very  largely  diluted,  a  higher  de- 
gree of  heat  is  required  in  case  of  the  carbonates,  and  it  must  be  increased 
with  the  amount  of  carbonic  acid  in  combination  with  the  alkali. 
