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thick, smooth, evergreen leaves, and its clusters of beautiful white flowers. Almost every part of this plant is poisonous, especially the leaves and kernels; but the pulp of the fruit is not. It yields an essential oil, analogous in its properties to oil of bitter almonds, and a distilled water, which is much better known. It is found by experiment that when cherry-laurel water is introduced into the animal system, either by the stomach, by a wound, or into a vein, it occasions giddiness, palsy, insensibility, convulsions, and death.

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A very remarkable trial took place during the last century, of a Captain Donellan, who was supposed to have caused the death of Sir Theodosius Boughton, by administering the distilled cherry-laurel water. It appeared that Sir T. was a young gentleman who was to come into possession of a large property on arriving at the age of twenty-one; but in the event of his not attaining to that age, the property was to descend to his sister, who was married to Captain Donellan. Sir T. was labouring under a slight illness, for which he was taking medicine. morning his mother gave him a draught, which he noticed at the time to be very nauseous, and which seemed to his mother to smell very strongly of bitter almonds. In about two minutes he experienced various unpleasant symptoms, which lasted for about ten minutes, when Lady Boughton left the room. On returning in about five minutes, she found him with his eyes fixed upwards, his teeth clenched, and froth running out of his mouth, and he died in about half an hour. Captain Donellan came into the room when Sir T. was dying, and inquiring where the physic bottle was, he took it, poured away its contents, and washed it, notwithstanding the remonstrances of Lady Boughton. It was also proved that Captain Donellan kept a still. Various medical gentlemen gave their evidence upon the trial, and four or five of them distinctly attributed the death of the deceased to the effects of the cherry-laurel water; but the celebrated John Hunter had paid so little attention to the operation of poisons, that he gave dubious and evasive answers upon this occasion, and his conduct was severely commented upon by the judge. Captain Donellan was found guilty and executed, although the evidence was altogether circumstantial.

I have thus briefly brought before your notice, some of the leading particulars connected with the nature and properties of prussic acid, one of the most energetic and destructive poisons which the ingenuity of man has ever invented, a poison which in a few moments pervades every organ and tissue of the body, dries up the fountains of life, and hurries its unhappy victim by a rapid, but perhaps painless transition, to the world of spirits. No reckoning made, but sent to his account

With all his imperfections on his head."

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The Library is now assuming a creditable aspect, it contains upwards of three hundred volumes, comprising a good collection of Pharmacopoeias, and some of the best works on Chemistry and Pharmacy, both ancient and modern. The greater part of the above have been presented by Members and Patrons of the Institution; but the Council have thought it right to purchase a few of the most standard modern works, which appeared indispensable, but which had not been received as donations.

The steady influx of books continues, as will appear from the above list, and the zeal which has been manifested in furthering this important branch of the Institution, has tended to confirm the favourable anticipations which we expressed, with regard to our future Library.

Two glass cases having been erected in the Museum, arrangements are in progress for the display of those specimens which have already been received, and of which we shall be prepared to give an account in our next number.

PROVINCIAL TRANSACTIONS.

THE following paper was read at a meeting of the Members of the PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY, at Bath, on Tuesday, June 21:

OBSERVATIONS ON THE POWERFUL EXPLOSIVE EFFECTS OF FULMINATING MERCURY, NOW EXTENSIVELY EMPLOYED AS A PRIMING FOR GUNS, &c.

BY DR. WILKINSON, BATH.

THE melancholy results of the late explosion of a large mass of this mercurial preparation, occasioning the death of the highly esteemed superintendent of the extensive chemical department established at the Apothecaries' Hall, has caused great excitement, particularly amongst professional gentlemen, who either directly or indirectly were acquainted with Mr. Hennell. With him I had frequent interviews and correspondences, in consequence of being appointed to grant certificates relative to chemistry in this district, to such students as had acquired an adequate knowledge of the science. Upon this occasion I am more particularly induced to submit to the public some circumstances which occurred within a few days after the discovery of the detonating compound.

In the period between 1797 and 1800, I had the pleasure of being acquainted with Mr. E. Howard, brother to the late Duke of Norfolk, who was very partial to chemical pursuits. In the year 1799, he discovered this fulminating mercurial compound; and being desirous of ascertaining whether explosion would take place by the electric spark, he brought about one ounce to my residence, then in London, in company with our joint friend Mr. Abernethy. Not having at that time my electric apparatus in proper action,

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it was agreed to defer the trial to another day, and at the time appointed Mr. Howard attended; and most fortunately during the interval he had ascertained its powerful effects, viz., that eleven grains being introduced into a strong rifle-barrelled pistol, the metal a quarter of an inch thick, was rent and broken into two pieces; two grains were introduced into a key, secured in a strong vice, which was also rent; and, in both instances, with a very powerful report. Had the intended experiment been tried with the proportion brought, the results would most probably have been fatal to Mr. Abernethy, Mr. Howard, and myself, as the quantity intended for trial amounted to 500 grains.

Mr. H. presented me with the shattered remains of the pistolbarrel and keys, and which are at present in my possession.

We have a variety of fulminating powders, the effects of which are to be principally referred to the periods required for the explosion, some rushing instantly into an expanded state, by the slightest action, whilst others proceed comparatively gradually. The oldest fulminating powder known, is that formed by three parts of nitrate of potash, one part of sulphur, and two of carbonate of potash, well mixed together. This requires the temperature of heated iron just below redness, and then violently explodes with a greater report than gunpowder, which consists of five parts nitrate of potash, one part sulphur, and one part powdered charcoal, and in almost every instance its explosion is gradual. In the usual charge of a gun, it was ascertained by Count Rumford, that more than one-half the powder is expelled unchanged, by the exploded action of the first portion contiguous to the touch-hole, and hence the reason that when a cannon has been heated by repeated firing, less subsequent charges are necessary. A few years after Berthollet had discovered the chlorate of potash, it was contemplated that a superior gunpowder would be produced by substituting this for nitre, ground with coal and sulphur.

The experiment was made on a large scale, at the French establishment at Essone, October, 1788, and the result was a dreadful explosion, fatal to a great number of workmen employed.

Fourcroy and Vauquelin have demonstrated the violent detonating effects resulting from concussion with compounds of ammonia with the oxide of silver, or with the terchloride of gold, the results of the latter were ascertained by Dumas to be metallic gold, oxygen, chlorine, hydrogen, and nitrogen.

The fulminating force will be measured by the quantity of gaseous and vaporific matter, combined with the celerity of action in every atom. Thus a cubic inch of gunpowder resolved into its gaseous elements, would with its acquired caloric, occupy more than a thousand cubic inches of space, and if as instantaneous as fulminating gold, silver, mercury, or platinum, would be terrific in expansive power.

INDIGENOUS PLANTS,

THE ROOTS, RHIZOMES, CORMI, LEAVES OR FLOWERS OF WHICH MAY BE GATHERED IN JULY,

ARRANGED ACCORDING TO THE NATURAL ORDERS.

RANUNCULACEA.-Aconitum napellus. Aconite, Monk's-hood. This plant, although it is not that regarded as officinal, yet possesses all the medicinal properties of the officinal species. The root as well as the leaves are used, the whole plant, therefore, should be gathered. The stem is simple, the leaves are divided nearly to the footstalk into five wedge-shape lobes, each of which is trifid, deep green on the upper, pale on the under side. The flowers are deep purplish-blue, hairy, and the helmet semicircular, and ending in a point. For making extract the juice should be expressed as soon as possible after the plant is gathered.

Ranunculus acris and flammula. Both of these plants are retained in the Dublin Pharmacopoeia; but, as they lose their acrimony by drying and are of little value when recent, we need not describe their characters.

PAPAVERACEE.-Papaver rhæas. Corn Poppy. In collecting this very common and abundant plant, it is necessary to see that the stem is covered with rough hairs, which stand at a right angle from it; and that the lobes of the pinnatifid leaves are elongated, toothed, and acute. This poppy should be collected in warm sunny days, and the petals quickly dried. The petals only are employed for making syrup.

Papaver somniferum. As this poppy is cultivated, and the capsules only are used in this country, it is unnecessary to describe the plant; but we are anxious to impress upon the attention of those who cultivate it, and also upon the trade, that the capsule loses much of its narcotic proper juice when it is permitted to ripen; it should, therefore, be gathered before it has attained its full size, and whilst it is still succulent. The seeds are inert.

UMBELLIFERA.-Conium maculatum. Hemlock. The great similarity of umbelliferous plants renders hemlock easily adulterated in the recent state. The leaves are large, of a deep-bright green on the upper surface, pale beneath. The footstalk is dilated and embraces the stem, which is smooth, furrowed, and covered with dull purplish blotches; but it is not swollen at the joints. The leaves are triply pinnated, the leaflets pinnatifid. The umbels are many-rayed, and smooth, with the leaflets of the involucrum ovate, sharp pointed, and membranous at the edges. The fruit is plano-convex with five undulated ridges on its convexity. These characters enable us readily to distinguish the leaves of Conium from those of Enanthe crocata, Cicuta virosa, Myrrhis temulenta, and odorata, Æthusa cynapium, and Anthriscus

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