574 
EDITORIAL. 
tains,  at  the  temperature  of  60°  F.,  a  considerable  deposit  of  stearine,  which 
it  is  the  practice  of  some  pharmaceutists  to  remove  by  nitration,  but  of 
others  to  allow  to  remain,  under  the  idea  that  the  stearine,  (which  is  perfectly 
fluid  at  the  temperature  of  the  human  body)  is  no  less  efficacious  than  oleine. 
The  cod-liver  oil  of  Peter  Moller  of  Christiania  is  prepared  by  a  process  essen- 
tially the  same  as  that  just  described. 
Dvgong  Oil. — This  oil  is  produced  from  the  bodies  of  two  herbivorous  ceta- 
ceous animals  of  the  family  Manatidce,  the  one  Ealicore  Dugong,  Illig.,  an  in- 
habitant of  the  Indian  seas,  the  other  H.  australis,  Owen,  occurring  off  the 
northwest  coasts  of  Australia.  It  has  been  lately  employed  as  a  substitute 
for  cod-liver  oil,  especially  in  Australia.  Samples  from  that  colony,  and  also 
from  Ceylon,  afforded,  we  presume,  by  the  two  species  of  Halicore  above 
named,  have  been  sent  to  the  Exhibition.  That  from  Ceylon  is  a  solid  white 
fat,  almost  devoid  of  odor  ;  those  from  Australia  are  liquid  oils  containing  a 
deposit  of  stearine  ;  all  have  a  slight  tallow-like  taste,  and  but  little  smell. 
Dugong  oil,  having  no  Jishy  smell  and  taste,  is  supposed  to  offer  an  advan- 
tage in  these  respects  over  cod-liver  oil.  We  are  not  aware  that  any  exten- 
sive trials  of  it  have  as  yet  been  made  in  Europe. 
Pepsine. — There  are  two  English  exhibitors  of  this  substance,  namely,  Messrs. 
Morson  and  Son,  and  Mr.  J.  L.  Bullock,  and  one  Austrian,  Dr.  Lamatsch. 
Mr.  Squire,  as  the  agent  of  M.  Boudalt  of  Paris,  may  also  be  named,  though 
we  think  he  does  not  display  any  specimen. 
Messrs.  Morson,  who  prepare  pepsine  from  the  stomachs  of  calves,  exhibit 
it  in  the  pure  state  as  a  gray  extractiform  mass  :  it  is  not,  however,  commonly 
sold  in  this  form,  being  more  convenient  when  reduced  to  a  powder  with 
starch,  in  which  state  it  has  received  the  name  of  Poudre  nutrimentive.  M. 
Boudault's  pepsine,  which,  as  we  gather  from  his  pamphlet,  is  prepared  from 
the  stomachs  of  sheep,  is  also  mixed  with  starch.  Mr.  Bullock's  pepsine  is 
prepared  from  the  stomach  of  the  pig,  upon  the  principle,  we  believe,  that 
the  pig's  omnivorous  habits  render  it  probable  that  its  gastric  fluid  would 
supply  the  best  substitute  for  that  of  the  human  stomach.  However  this 
may  be,  Mr.  Bullock's  pepsine  may  well  be  superior  in  strength,  as  it  is  sold 
in  an  unmixed  state.  Dr.  Lamatsch,  as  it  would  appear  from  his  advertise- 
ment, employs  the  stomachs  of  both  pigs  and  calves  for  the  preparation  of 
pepsine,  which,  like  that  of  Mr.  Bullock,  is  offered  for  use  unmixed  with 
starch. 
[The  remaining  articles  of  animal  Materia  Medica  call  for  but  few  observa- 
tions. The  common  blistering  flies  (Cantharis  vesicatoria,  Fabr.,)  are  well 
shown  among  the  productions  of  Hungary.  Mylabris  Cichorii,  Fabr.  (and  M. 
Sidce,  Fabr.  ?),  the  best  source  of  cantharidine,  occurs  among  the  drugs  of 
India;  a  specimen  of  Lytta  vittata,  Fabr.,  in  the  collection  of  the  Philadel- 
phia College  of  Pharmacy,*  and  one  of  Meloe  maialis,  L.,  among  the  drugs  of 
Spain. 
Cantharidine  is  represented  by  a  very  large  and  fine  sample  from  the  labo- 
ratory of  M.  Merck  ;  Messrs.  T.  and  H.  Smith  likewise  exhibit  it. 
Of  Ambergris  a  fine  mass  may  be  noticed  in  the  case  of  a  Paris  perfumer, 
M.  Claye. 
Musk  is  not  well  shown,  though  it  would  have  been  easy  in  London  to  dis- 
play a  series  of  specimens  representing  it  in  all  its  varieties.  Of  Civet,  there 
is  a  solitary  and  bad  specimen  sent  from  India.  Castoreum  is  shown  by  a  Ca- 
nadian exhibitor,  as  well  as  in  the  collection  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Society.] 
*  In  the  List  of  Awards,  which  we  have  not  space  to  print,  it  is  stated  that  the  collec- 
tion deposited  by  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy  received  a  medal. 
