AN  INTRODUCTION  TO  PRACTICAL  PHARMACY. 
11 
Third  Class. — By  charging  water  with  gas. 
Aqua  Acidi  Carbonici,  5  parts  of  C02  to  1  of  water. 
The  syllabi  are  followed  by  brief  accounts  of  the  processes 
necessary,  with  occasional  remarks  on  such  as  seem  to  require 
explanation.  After  which  are  described  the  non-officinal  prepara- 
tions of  the  same  class  in  greater  detail,  with  new  remedies  and 
their  combinations  and  numerous  recipes,  many  of  which  are 
valuable  and  not  readily  accessible  to  druggists  generally.  Among 
these  latter,  are  a  number  which  have  been  hitherto  confined  to 
the  establishment  with  which  the  author  is  connected,  which  are 
communicated  with  his  opinion  as  to  their  merits  and  advantages, 
given  with  a  characteristic  frankness,  which  is  refreshingly  in 
contrast  with  the  reserve  sometimes  manifested  even  by  re- 
spectable pharmaceutists  as  to  private  formulae,  the  exclusive 
possession  of  which  is  thought  to  tend  to  their  pecuniary  ad- 
vantage. Throughout  the  work,  the  author  has  interspersed 
various  observations,  suggested  by  the  subjects  under  considera- 
tion, which  travel  occasionally  out  of  the  strict  line  of  precedent, 
but  are  interesting,  and  have  generally  a  practical  bearing.  As 
the  general  arrangement  is  described  in  the  notice  in  the  last 
number,  we  do  not  think  it  necessary  to  allude  to  it  any  further, 
but  shall  proceed  to  extract  various  matters  which  appear  to  be 
novel  or  interesting. 
In  the  chapter  on  the  collection  and  drying  of  plants,  we  find 
the  following  in  reference  to  Shaker  herbs  : — 
"  The  •  United  Brethren/  called  Shakers,  at  their  settlement  in  New  Le- 
banon, New  York,  have  very  extensive  and  convenient  arrangements  for 
drying  these  vegetable  materials.  A  series  of  shelves  of  wire  network  is  dis- 
posed in  layers  at  suitable  distances  from  each  other,  in  large  and  well 
ventilated  apartments  ;  upon  these  the  herb  is  carefully  placed,  and  allowed 
to  remain  subject  to  the  desiccating  action  of  the  air,  circulating  below  as 
well  as  above  it,  until  completely  dried.  It  is  then  removed  to  a  capacious 
bin,  of  which  many  are  arranged  along  the  sides  of  the  room,  and  preserved 
until  nearly  ready  for  pressing — an  operation  which,  in  common  with  some 
other  cultivators,  the  Shakers  practice  upon  every  article  of  the  vegetable 
Materia  Medica  which  they  cultivate  or  vend. 
This,  while  it  has  its  advantages,  is  liable  to  some  objections.  It  has 
been  said  that,  owing  to  the  moist  condition  to  which  the  plants  require  to 
be  brought  before  pressing,  the  packages  are  liable  to  become  mouldy  in  the 
middle.  I  have  never  met  with  an  instance  of  this  kind,  however,  and  have 
no  doubt  but  that  the  excellent  reputation  the  Shaker  herbs  have  attained 
is  well  founded.  Another  objection  to  these  herbs,  of  a  very  different  charac- 
