380 
EDITORIAL. 
Mr.  Heard,  of  Boston,  has  purchased  the  right  for  New  York  and  New 
England,  and  Messrs.  Z.  Locke  &  Co.  the  right  for  Pennsylvania  and 
Camden,  New  Jersey.  The  latter  firm,  well  known  in  this  city,  are  now 
prepared  to  furnish  this  alcohol  to  all  druggists,  apothecaries,  and  perfu- 
mers.   We  have  found  it  very  pure. 
Fluid  Extracts  prepared  in  vacuo. — We  have  just  received  from  the 
Messrs.  Tilden,  of  New  Lebanon,  New  York,  twenty-one  samples  of  Fluid 
Extracts,  as  enumerated  in  their  advertisement,  to  which  they  invite  our 
attention.  We  can  only  acknowledge  their  reception,  deferring  any  critical 
remarks  in  regard  to  them  until  our  next. 
New  Work  on  Practical  Pharmacy. — The  attention  of  our  readers  is 
directed  to  the  advertisement  of  Messrs.  Blanchard  &  Lea  on  the  next  sheet, 
wherein  it  will  be  seen  that  they  are  about  to  publish  a  work  on  practical 
pharmacy,  by  Edward  Parrish.  This  work,  though  more  especially  intended 
for  medical  men,  is,  we  are  informed,  sufficiently  wide  in  its  scope  to  em- 
brace much  useful  practical  information  for  the  apothecary,  especially  in 
reference  to  extemporaneous  pharmacy. 
Honor  to  the  Deserving. — By  an  Imperial  decree,  dated  the  13th  of 
March,  at  the  suggestion  of  the  Minister  of  Public  Instruction  and  Worship, 
the  grade  of  officer  in  the  Legion  of  Honor  was  conferred  on  M.  Devilie, 
(St.  Claire)  Professor  of  Chemistry  in  the  Superior  Normal  School,  who,  by 
his  discovery  of  the  mode  of  producing  aluminium  in  large  masses,  has  con- 
ferred on  manufacturing  art  the  use  of  this  valuable  metal. 
And  also  upon  M.  Woehler  as  the  discoverer  of  aluminium,  and  as  the  first 
who  made  an  organic  animal  substance,  urea,  altogether  from  mineral  ele- 
ments. 
Memoirs  of  the  Life  and  Scientific  Researches  of  John  Dalton,  F.  R.  S° 
By  William  Charles  Henrt,  M.  D.,  F.  R.  S.,  &c.  London.  Printed 
by  the  Cavendish  Society.  1854.    pp.  248,  octavo. 
The  eminent  services  of  Dalton  to  the  science  of  chemistry  renders  the 
publication  of  his  memoirs  by  the  Cavendish  Society  particularly  appropri- 
ate ;  and  in  Dr.  Henry,  the  philosopher  has  a  biographer  every  way 
qualified  to  do  him  justice.  Born  of  Quaker  parents  at  Eaglesfield  in  Cum- 
berland, on  the  15th  of  September,  177G,  he  derived  his  instruction  at  the 
village  school  until  his  eleventh  year,  soon  after  which  he  commenced  the 
life  of  a  tutor,  and  this  continued  to  be  his  profession  throughout  his  long 
career.  In  his  fifteenth  year  he  assisted  his  brother  at  Kendal,  and  continued 
for  twelve  years.  During  this  period  he  commenced  his  meteorological  ob- 
servations, which  afterwards  led  him  to  discoveries,  in  that  science,  of  con- 
siderable importance.  Subsequently  his  attention  was  turned  to  reflect  on 
the  ultimate  constitution  of  matter,  and  he  gave  his  leisure  to  chemical  pur- 
