Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
June,  1879. 
Reviews,  etc. 
335 
Rhyme;  of  Science ;  nuise  and  otherwise.    New  York  :  Industrial  Publication  Com- 
pany, 1879.    PP-  66.    Price  50  cents. 
These  "rhymes"  embrace  selections  from  the  poems  of  Bret  Harte,  Oliver  W. 
Holmes,  R.  Barham,  Prof.  E.  Forbes  and  others.  It  is  a  neat,  illustrated  little 
volume,  calculated  to  amuse  and  instruct. 
Taschenbuch  der  Chemikalien- Lehre.    Von  Dr.  G.  C.  Wittstein.    Nordlingen  :  C.  H. 
Beck'sche  Buchhandlung,  1879.    "ma,  pp.  326. 
Compendium  of  chemicals. 
The  volume  before  us  is  the  third  of  a  series  of  popular  works  giving  information 
on  various  subjects  used  in  the  arts  or  for  domestic  purposes.  The  author's  "com- 
pendium of  secret  medicines"  we  have  noticed  in  1876;  his  "compendium  of 
articles  of  food  and  drink"  in  our  last  volume.  The  aim  which  guided  the  author 
in  the  two  volumes  mentioned  has  also  been  adhered  to  in  the  present  one.  It  has 
been  written  as  a  guide  for  intelligent  persons  generally,  and  though  it  does  not 
enter  into  the  discussion  of  chemical  problems,  will  be  found  useful  and  convenient 
also  for  those  versed  in  chemistry. 
The  articles  are  arranged  in  alphabetical  order,  and  usually  treated  of  under  the 
subheadings:  Occurence  in  Nature,  Preparation,  Composition  and  Properties, 
Impurities,  Uses.  The  descriptions  are  clear  and  to  the  point,  and  all  statements 
are  made  with  that  accuracy  for  which  the  author  is  noted. 
Proceedings  of  the  Connecticut  Pharmaceutical  Association  at  the  third  annual  meeting, 
held  in  Hartford,  Conn  ,  Feb.  5,  1879.    Waterbury.    8vo,  pp.  71. 
This  pamphlet  contains  the  minutes,  addresses,  reports,  papers  read,  etc  ,  at  the 
meeting.  Among  the  reports  is  one  on  local  formulas,  the  collection  of  which  we 
consider  a  very  commendable  undertaking  by  the  various  State  Pharmaceutical 
Associations,  in  many  cases  not  so  much  on  account  of  the  intrinsic  value  of  these 
medicines,  but  more  for  the  purpose  of  securing  uniformity  in  the  prescribing  and 
dispensing  of  medicines  throughout  the  country.  We  print  these  formulas  in  another 
place  (see  page  322).  The  report  on  the  progress  of  pharmacy  by  Mr.  Thos.  F. 
Main  covers  twenty-three  pages,  and  very  properly  confines  itself  almost  exclusively 
to  pharmaceutical  formulas  published  in  the  American  journals.  We  are 
aware  that  several  Pharmaceutical  Associations  have  adopted  a  similar  course  ;  but 
we  seriously  doubt  the  propriety  of  it,  inasmuch  as  a  complete  report  on  the  subject  can 
by  no  means  be  expected,  such  as  is  furnished  by  the  American  Pharmaceutical 
Association  in  its  annual  publications,  and  which  covers  all  branches  of  pharmacy 
and  includes  the  periodical  literature  of  most  civilized  countries. 
Among  the  papers  read  we  desire  to  especially  refer  to  a  few.  One  on  proprie- 
tary medicines,  by  E.  W.  Thompson,  refers  to  the  moral  side  of  the  question  in  a 
commendable  manner,  and  in  discussing  the  financial  side  severely  handles  the 
"cutting"  of  prices.    We  believe  the  position  of  the  author  to  be  correct  when  he 
