most merciful criticism, observing by the way, that in compounding their wines the College seem to have had an inverse eye upon Mrs. Glass's water pudding, so called, as she facetiously tells us, because made with wine only. "This preparation," says Mr. Phillips, "is tartrate of potash and iron, with excess of supertartrate of potash, which is probably intended to supply the place of the acid contained in the wine formerly employed, and to effect the perfect solution of tartarized iron in the weak spirit. "The quantity of iron directed to be used is very nearly such, that if it were all acted upon by the supertartrate of potash, and dissolved by the spirit, the strength of the present preparation would almost exactly equal that which I found the former to possess. But three causes prevent this: first, the whole of the iron is not acted upon by the tartar; secondly, a part of that which is converted into tartarized iron, is rendered insoluble by drying; and thirdly a portion which is dissolved by the water is immediately precipitated by the spirit. I find that owing to these circumstances, a pint of the present vinum ferri contains only sixteen grains of peroxide, instead of twenty-two grains, which an equal quantity of the former preparation held in solution." Among the preparations of mercury we think that the red oxide, the grey oxide, and the sulphurets, might without much inconvenience to any one have been omitted. The formula for calomel is most unequivocally improved; it is, indeed, the best extant; that for corrosive sublimate would be the better for a little alteration in the proportion of the materials. The solution of corrosive sublimate is here called liquor and not vinum, as is the case with that of emetic tartar; but it should not have been among the formulæ, for it is liable to decompose, and in remedies of such activity every thing depends upon the accuracy of the proportion held in solution. We wish the College had been prevailed upon to reject their present names for calomel and corrosive sublimate; and that Mr. Phillips had not added to the proper chloridic explanation of their composition and formation, the incorrect and exterminated muriatic hypothesis; he seems to have done it out of compliment to the College, "who," he says, "do not appear to have adopted the modern views of the nature of muriatic acid;" but no authority can justify the perpetuation of error. The preparations of lead remain much as in the former Pharmacopaia, excepting that the term sub-carbonate is now improperly used for what before was properly called carbonate. The formula for acetate of lead is now no longer necessary; it is prepared of great purity, and at a low price by the wholesale manufacturer, and might therefore have been transferred to the Materia Medica. The formula for oxide zinc is much ameliorated by substituting precipitation of the sulphate by ammonia, for the old process of com bustion; in this way it is obtained free from metallic particles. By some oversight the quantity of water directed for the solution of the sulphate is however too small. Of the preparations of sulphur, the solution of that substance in oil, and the "precipitated sulphur," might be dispensed with. The general directions given in the Pharmacopoeia for the collection, preservation, and preparation of vegetables, are meagre and unsatisfactory; Mr. Phillips has merely transcribed them without any remarks. Among the distilled waters, we observe that cinnamonwater, peppermint-water, miut-water, and penny-royal-water, are directed to be distilled either from the herbs, or from their essential oils. The same rule should have been extended to rose-water, which is more fragrant and less apt to acidify when so prepared. With very few exceptions, we think that the infusions and decoc tions should have been left to extemporaneous prescriptions, especially the former; there are also many among them which certainly might have been altogether expunged. The extracts are also much too numerous; they are generally apt to spoil by keeping, and such only, therefore, should have been retained as are really useful. Under the term extractum stramonii we have an useless extract of the seeds of the thorn-apple. Among the mixtures and spirits we also have several useless, or, at least, unnecessary formulæ; among the latter, especially, spiritus ammonia fætidus, spiritus ammonia succinatus, spiritus armoracia compositus, spiritus colchici ammoniatus, spiritus menthæ viridis, spiritus pimenta, &c. &c., are mere incumbrances; if they are medically wanted, extemporaneous prescriptions with the essential oils are preferable. The "tinctures" offer a sufficiently judicious se lection, but many of them might be improved by digestion for a shorter time, in a moderate heat; nothing is said of the temperature at which they should be prepared. Under the "preparations of æther" we may remark, that the formulæ for sulphuric æther and rectified æther should have been given under one head; for what is rectified æther but sulphuric æther? or, what medical use can be made of the impure æther which the College call æther sulphuricus? They certainly direct it, but probably by mistake, in their spirit and compound spirit of sulphuric æther. Ethereal oil, aromatic spirit of æther, and com❤ pound spirit of sulphuric æther, as now directed by the College, are very useless supernumeraries upon this list. The Section on Ethereal Preparations is followed by one including the wines containing no wine; and then follow the medicated vinegars, honeys, syrups, and confections. Among the compound powders we observe many, and among the pills more formula, which might be dispensed with; the latter are liable to harden, and with few exceptions should never be kept ready made. Under the remaining heads of the Pharmacopoeia, including plasters, ointments, &c., we observe nothing worthy of particular remark. Mr. Phillips has added to his translation a series of woodcuts, exhibiting the most commonly occurring crystalline forms of the principal salts, &c., which, as far as they go, are useful, as being more explanatory than mere descriptions, and the pupil ought, for several reasons, to be acquainted with the ordinary figures which these bodies exhibit; but, as before observed, the measurements of angles and inclinations of surfaces which accompany the description of the salts are not, we conceive, very important to the utility of a work like this. We are also somewhat disappointed at the brevity of the original remarks and scantiness of the criticisms, where there is so much room and opportunity for both, and more especially when we advert to the diligence and acumen, sometimes perhaps a little too highly seasoned, with which our author animadverted upon the glaring errors and abundant inconsistencies of the former Pharmacopoeia. Something more also might have been said of the medical uses and forms of prescribing the leading articles; indeed we doubt whether the present extremely concise notices culled chiefly from Dr. Paris's Pharmacologia, had not better have been omitted. But we must not complain: these things are not in Mr. Phillips's way, and upon the whole we are indebted to him for many useful hints and pertinent remarks. extant. We wish, in conclusion, to disclaim the remotest intention of disrespect towards the College in any of the remarks which we have found it necessary to offer upon their Pharmacopoeia, and which, with all its imperfections, we have already acknowledged among the best There seems, therefore, to be some hidden impediment to the compilation of a rational Pharmacopoeia, and at all events it must not be assumed as a standard of the talents of its nominal editors; there must be something radically wrong in the mode of managing the matter, and before the College give us another edition, we trust they will seriously consider the subject, and adopt some less exceptionable mode of proceeding. We apprehend that the whole business should be unconditionally delegated to three or five individuals, who should alone have power, and be solely responsible: they should moreover be well paid for their trouble, and no expense should be spared in furnishing them means of information and research. The Committee which determines by vote what formulæ are to exist and what to be expunged, should certainly be broken up: the men of practical eminence in the College have no time to attend to it; and the men of science are, if we mistake not, wearied out by the persevering prosers and obstinate ancients with which all such Committees are pestered. 360 ART. XIV. MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. I. MECHANICAL AND GENERAL SCIENCE. 1. Adhesion of Nails in Wood.-Mr. Bevan has published in the Philosophical Magazine a series of very interesting experiments on the adhesion of nails when driven into different kinds of wood, the results of which we have abstracted and condensed as below. The following table exhibits the relative adhesion of nails of various kinds, when forced into dry Christiana deal at right angles to the grain of the wood: The percussive force required to drive the common sixpenny nail to the depth of 1 inch into dry Christiana deal with an iron weight of 6,275 lbs. was four blows falling freely the space of 12 inches, and the steady pressure required to produce the same effect was 400 lbs. A sixpenny nail driven one inch across the grain into dry elm required $27 lbs. to extract it; driven end-ways, or longitudinally, it required 257 lbs. for its extraction; driven end-ways two inches into Christiana deal it was drawn by a force of 257 lbs., but driven in one inch only in the same direction, it was extracted by 87 lbs. The relative adhesion therefore, when driven transversely or longitudinally, is as 100 to 78, or about 4 to 3, in dry elm; and as 100 to 46, or as 2 to 1, in deal. To extract a common sixpenny nail from a depth of one inch out of dry oak required dry beech 507 lbs. 667 312 a common screw of of an inch diameter was found to have an adhesion about three times that of a sixpenny nail.-The resistance to entrance of a nail was found to be to that of extraction, in some experiments, as 6 to 5.-Phil. Mag. lxiii. 168. 2. Levels in London above the highest Water-mark. North-end of Northumberland-street, Strand North of Essex-street, Strand West of Coventry-street feet. inches. 19 7 35 6 27 O 102 6 5 6 North-side of Aqueduct crossing Regent's Canal The whole of Westminster, except the Abbey and part of Horseferry-road, is below the level of the highest tide. N. M. Mag. xii. 206. A 3. On the comparative Advantage of Coke and Wood as Fuel.-Some trials have been made by M. Debret on the heating power of coke and wood, when consumed in stoves, at the Royal Academy of Music. Two similar stoves were heated, one by wood and the other by coke, and the temperature of the exterior, taken at some distance from the fire. The temperature of the flues was at first 9°c., and the mean temperature, at the end of six hours, was, by the wood, 13° c., by the coke, 16° c.; so that the increase by the wood was 4°, by the coke 7°. These effects were produced by seventy-three kilogrammes, (163 pounds) of wood, worth three and a half francs, and twenty-four kilogrammes, (53 pounds) of coke, worth one franc eighty cent. During the progress of this experiment another stove had been heated for several hours with wood, and the temperature had not risen above 13°. The use of coke very quickly raised it to 15° or 16°. Hence it is concluded, and with reason, that coke is much preferable for these purposes to wood; but where the stove is small the mixture of a little wood with the coke is recommended to facilitate the combustion.-Bib. Univ. xxv. 237. 4. Vicat on burning of Limestone or Chalk. From some experiments formerly made by M. Vicat, that philosopher was induced to conceive, that probably an imperfect calcination of limestone would |