^jnwii^r}  Review*  and  Bibliographical  Notices.  335 
parent  to  us;  the  compiler  does,  moreover,  not  even  credit  t lie  authors,  who. 
as  the  title  informs  ns.  are  among'  the  most  eminent  physicians  of  Europe  and 
America. 
The  author  has  bestowed  much  labor  upon  this  work,  which  is  dedicated  to 
the  Ameiican  Pharmaceutical  Association,  by  whose  members  as  well  as  by  the 
profession  in  general  it  will  doubtless  be  welcomed  as  a  useful  aid  (not  a  guide), 
giving  short  explanations  and  information  which  are  not  found  together  in  any 
other  work,  on  teims  and  subjects  frequently  met  with  in  scientific  literature, 
and  containing-  a  number  of  formulas  which  are  often  needed.  Notwithstand- 
ing the  shortcomings,  we  endorse  the  author's  views,  expressed  in  the  preface, 
that  it  will  prove  of  great  service  to  the  pharmaceutical  student,  apprentice, 
the  pharmacist,  druggist  ard  physician,  as  a  book  for  ready  reference,  and  as 
an  aid  to  the  study  of  scientific  works. 
On  the  action  of  Rhus  venenata  and  Rhus  toxicodendron  upon  the  Human 
Skin.    By  James  C.  White,  M.D.,  Professor  of  Dermatology  in  Harvard  Uni- 
versity.   New  York:  D.  Appleton  &  Co.    1873.    8vo,  pp"  27. 
This  interesting  and  valuable  monograph  was  read  before  the  Boston  Society 
of  Medical  Sciences  in  November,  1872,  and  published  in  the  March  number  of 
the  New  York  Medical  Journal. 
Ninth  Annual  Report  of  the  Alumni  Association  of  the  Philadelphia  College  of 
Pharmacy.    1873.    8vo,  56  pages. 
Second  Annual  Report  of  the  Alumni  Association  of  the  College  of  Pharmacy 
of  the  City  of  New  York.    1873.       8vo,  50  pages. 
The  transactions  o(  both  Associations  have  been  reported  in  our  April  and 
May  numbers.  The  pamphlets  contain  the  valedictory  addresses  delivered  at 
the  last  commencements  of  the  two  Colleges. 
Des  Aconits  et  de  I'Aconitine.    Par  Charles  Patrouillard.    Paris  :  1872.  4to, 
87  pages. 
On  the  Aconites  and  Aconitia. 
It  is  a  thesis  which  was  presented  in  November  last,  to  the  Ecole  superieure 
de  pharmacie  of  Paris,  to  obtain  the  title  of  "  Pharmacien  of  the  first  class." 
It  is  divided  into  seven  chapters,  the  first  of  which  treats  of  the  botanical  char- 
acters of  the  genus  Aconitum,  the  geographical  distribution  of  its  species,  their 
division  into  subgenera,  and  the  causes  of  their  variability.  The  second  chapter 
describes  the  tubers  of  Aconitum  napellus  in  the  fresh  conditiou  and  as  found  in 
commerce;  tubers  which  have  not  yet  developed  their  terminal  bud,  even  when 
collected  in  the  fall,  contain  a  large  quantity  of  water  (loss  ascertained  in  dry- 
ing 62  per  cent.)  and  little  alkaloid,  while  those  tubers  which  had  produced 
»tera  and  Mowers,  retain,  at  the  close  of  active  vegetation,  much  less  water  and 
a  larger  quantity  of  the  active  principle,  while  they  are  resinous  upon  the  frac- 
ture, and  at  the  same  time  soft  and  spongy,  frequently  even  presenting  large 
cavities,  the  result  of  the  partial  resorption  of  the  medullary  tissue  ;  the  younger 
tubers,  however,  have  a  more  inviting  aspect,  and  are,  therefore,  preferably 
collected.  The  resemblance  of  aconite  root  in  the  fresh  state  to  horseradish  is 
so  slight,  that  the  one  cannot  be  mistaken  for  the  other  by  p'ersous  of  ordinary 
