XLII THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CAiNADA 



It was moved by Mr. Burpee, seconded by Mr. Lighthall that this 

 Society, recognizing the vital importance to any civilized people of a 

 National Library, organized and maintained upon broad and efficient 

 lines, and particularly to a young, rapidly growing, and ambitious com- 

 munity such as ours; and also recognizing its great usefulness to students 

 in every branch of human knowledge, its practical and economic 

 worth as a general repository of information, now scattered in many 

 libraries, or inaccessible, and its value as a rallying point for the library 

 activities of the whole country; respectfully urges upon the consider- 

 ation of the Dominion Government the early establishment of such an 

 institution for the general benefit of the people of Canada. — Carried. 



It was moved by Dr. R. F. Ruttan, seconded by Dr. W. H. Ellis, 

 that whereas the use of active or poisonous phosphorus in the manu- 

 facture of matches endangers the health of workers in that industry, 

 and is the cause of the most loathsome of all occupational diseases viz : 

 Phosphorus necrosis of the bones of the face, commonly called Phossy 

 jaw; and 



Whereas all safe guards have proved ineffective in protecting oper- 

 atives against this disease; and 



Whereas matches tipped with compositions containing this deadly 

 poison are found in every Canadian home, and are an ever present 

 menace to the lives of little children ; and 



Whereas by their wide distribution these matches present, in a con- 

 venient and inexpensive form, a means of criminal phosphorus poison- 

 ing; and 



Whereas since the discovery and general use of a harmless substitute 

 called sesqui-sulphide of phosphorus, poisonous phosphorus is no 

 longer necessary in the manufacture of the common match; and 



Whereas Canada is alone on this continent and almost alone amongst 

 civilized nations in having no legal enactment against the use of active 

 phosphorus in the manufacture of matches; be it 



Resolved that the Government of Canada be asked to procure an 

 act to be passed, at the earliest possible date, prohibiting the import- 

 ation, manufacture, and use in Canada of poisonous phosphorus matches. 



It was moved by Dr. W. Bell Dawson, seconded by Dr. W. F. King, 

 that the Council continue its efforts to have wireless research stations 

 established throughout Canada. — Carried. 



It was m^oved by Mr. W. D. Lighthall, seconded by Dr. H. J. Mor- 

 gan and Dr. W. W. Campbell, that the Royal Society of Canada instruct 

 its Council to call the attention of the press and educational authorities 

 throughout Canada to the widespread use of defective English, and to 

 appeal for remedial action by specific instruction and increased care. — 

 Carried. 



