i 4 4 A HISTORY OF 



and ingenious pamphlet, An Argument in Sup-port of 

 the Right of the Poor in the Kingdom of Ireland to a 

 Rational Provision, and at the same time 2000 copies 

 of the Scheme for establishing County Poorhouses in 

 Ireland, published in 1766, were ordered to be re- 

 printed. 



Dr. David MacBride * had been bringing to perfec- 

 tion a new mode of tanning, much easier and cheaper 

 than the old system. There are many notices in the 

 minute books of Dr. MacBride's method, for which 

 the Society voted him a silver medal, and he was 

 elected an honorary member. Subsequently, great 

 satisfaction was expressed at a Mr. Laban's success in 

 carrying it out. MacBride's New Method of Tanning 

 is in the Haliday collection (1769, cccxlvi. 8). 



In June 1768, a sum of ^250 was voted for the 

 erection of a Pharmacopoeia Pauperum, for dispensing 

 medicine to the poor of Ireland, according to a plan of 

 John Wade, chemist. 



The Society arranged that the money voted by 

 Parliament was to be assigned in the following pro- 

 portions to the various industries : 



Silk . . 3800 Gold and silver thread, 



Wool . . . 2500 &c. . . . 50 



Leather . . 100 Stamping linens, &c. 300 



Iron and Steel . 570 Mixed goods . . 300 



Copper and brass . 100 Oil of vitriol . . 100 



Paper . . . 150 Saltpetre . . 100 



Glass . . . 200 Phar. Pauperum . 250 



Earthenware . 150 



In 1769, a prize was offered for the best plan of a 

 county gaol, to cost from 1000 to ^3000, in which 



1 Born at Ballymoney, co. Antrim, 1726 ; died in Dublin, 1778 ; a 

 distinguished physician, who published many important medical 

 works. 



