Mr. W. M. Buchanan's Theory of the Reaction Watcr-Whtd. Ill 

 23d March, 1846.— The President in the Cliair. 



Messrs. Goorgo Mitchell aud William Somerville were admitted mem- 

 bers. Mr. Liddell moved, in accordance with a recommendation from the 

 Council, that a Committee bo appointed from this Society, to co-operate 

 with any Committee that may be named by the Town Council, for the 

 purpose of making arrangements for a public exhibition of models of ma- 

 chinery, geological specimens, &c, and that a sum not exceeding £50 be 

 placed at their disposal as a guarantee against loss. The following Com- 

 mittee was appointed: — Messrs. Crum, Murray, Hastie, Gourlie, Keddie, 

 Dr. R. D. Thomson, Messrs. Liddell and Bankier, with power to add to 

 their number. Mr. Liddell, Convener. 



A copy of Dr. Watt's work on the Vital Statistics of Glasgow, for 1843- 

 44, was presented to the Society by the Town Council. 



Dr. R. D. Thomson made some observations on the nutritive power of 

 maize or Indian corn, as compared with other kinds of grain. 



Specimens of different kinds of bread, &c, were exhibited, — 1. Bread, 

 consisting of maize and wheat flour, it being impossible to raise bread 

 baked of maize alone ; second, of maize, flour, and rice — forming a white 

 loaf; third, of coarse maize and flour; and, fourth, unfermented bread, 

 raised by means of hydrochloric acid and sesquicarbonate of soda. 2. 

 Biscuit?, consisting first of maize and flour ; second, of maize, flour, and 

 rice ; and, third, of the same with butter. 3. Puddings, made of maize 

 alone, and of maize with Irish moss, &c. The peculiarity of these speci- 

 mens was, that they were as wholesome and palatable as common wheat 

 bread, and much cheaper. 



1st April, 1846. — The President in the Chair. 



Mr. Liddell read a minute from the Joint Committee of the Society and 

 Town Council, relative to the arrangements for the proposed exhibition of 

 models at the new year. The following paper was read: — 



XIX.— On the Reaction of Water, and the Theory of the Reaction Water- 

 Wlieel By W. M. Buchanan, Esq. 



Reaction Water- Wheels constitute a distinct and extensive order of 

 prime movers, to which, till of late, comparatively little attention has been 

 directed by the engineering profession in this country. It is now up- 

 wards of a century (1732) since the fundamental principle of their action 

 was announced in the Hydraulica of J. Bernouilli; and at a still 

 earlier period (1704), the fact that a motive power could be obtained from 

 a jet of eflluent water, was practically demonstrated by Dr. Barker in 

 England, and by M. Parent in France. The general problem of the 

 reaction of fluids had indeed obtained a partial solution in the steam- 



Vol. H.— No. 2 3 



