Am.  Jour.  Pharm.) 
August,  1895.  J 
Reviews. 
427 
be  considered  as  the  organ  of  the  society,  and  will  be  officially  adopted  as  such,  when  the 
institution  becomes  fully  organized.  It  contains  the  proceedings  of  the  society,  the  papers 
read  at  the  scientific  meetings,  pharmaceutic  and  general  scientific  intelligence,  etc. 
"  We  observe  in  it  extracts  from  our  own  journal,  and  in  return  present  in  the  present 
number  selections  from  it,  and,  as  its  only  collaborateur  in  the  same  language,  we  heartily 
bid  it  welcome." 
The  first  series  of  the  Journal  extended  over  eighteen  years.  In  1859,  on 
the  death  of  Bell,  Redwood,  who  had  assisted  him,  continued  as  editor  in  con- 
junction with  Bently  and  Barnard,  thus  forming  the  second  series,  extending 
over  eleven  years.  Then,  shortly  after  the  passing  of  the  Pharmacy  Act,  in 
1868,  the  issue  of  a  weekly  publication,  as  a  third  series  of  the  Journal,  was 
decided  upon  to  meet  the  increased  demand  for  information,  more  or  less 
directly  interesting  in  connection  with  pharmacy. 
One  year  after  founding  the  Journal,  Bell  gave  it  the  title  of  "Pharmaceuti- 
cal Journal  and  Transactions."  With  the  beginning  of  the  present  series  the 
title  has  very  appropriately  become  "  The  Pharmaceutical  Journal."  The  first 
number  of  the  new  series  appeared  on  July  6th,  with  an  enlarged  page  and 
with  some  seventy-eight  pages  of  advertisements  and  a  supplement  of  trade 
notes  of  eight  pages.  The  whole  is  a  magnificent  exhibition  of  the  enterprise 
of  the  editor  and  of  the  condition  of  the  pharmaceutical  profession  in  Great 
Britain  and  the  Colonies  that  will  absorb  7,000  copies  of  such  a  publication 
weekly. 
REVIEWS  AND  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  NOTICES. 
Die  gerichtlich-chemische  Ermitteeung  von  Giften  in  Nahrungs- 
mitteen,  l/uftgemischen,  speiseresten,  korpertheilen,  etc.  von 
Georg  Dragendorff.  Fourth  edition.  Gottingen,  Vandenhoeck  and  Ruprecht. 
1895.    Pp.  532. 
There  is  probably  no  better  work  in  any  language  on  the  chemistry  of  poisons 
than  this  one,  which  has  now  reached  its  fourth  edition. 
The  author  presents  the  subject  in  a  clear  and  logical  manner.  The  introduc- 
tion gives  general  rules  for  the  investigation  for  poisons,  and  treats  of  such  sub- 
jects as  exhuming,  taking  of  samples  and  the  presence  of  antiseptics  and  embalm- 
ing fluids.  In  the  special  part,  the  various  poisons  are  considered  in  a  system- 
atic manner,  beginning  with  the  halogens  and  strong  acids,  and  then  treating 
of  poisonous  gases,  volatile  poisons,  as  phosphorus,  chloroform,  alcohol,  ether, 
benzol,  ethereal  oils,  etc.,  alkaloids,  glucosides,  non-alkaloidal  substances, 
as  cantharidin  and  digitalin,  the  heavy  metals,  and,  finally,  the  alkalies  and 
alkaline  earths. 
While  the  non-metallic  portion  is  exhaustively  treated,  it  is  in  the  considera- 
tion of  the  vegetable  poisons  that  Professor  Dragendorff" especially  excels.  He 
knows  whereof  he  writes,  because  of  his  practical  study  of  the  subject,  and 
not  by  quoting  some  other  writer,  although  his  citation  of  references  is  very 
complete. 
A  full  index  and  a  table  of  blood  spectra  complete  this  valuable  work. 
Formueaire  des  Specialties  Ph armaceutioues.  Par  M.  Gautier  et  F. 
Renault.    Paris.    J.  B.  Bailliere  et  Fils.    1S95.  Pp.298. 
