Proceedings. 



V 



November 14th, 1854. 

 Monthly MEBTiNa, 



In tlie absence of the President; R. Eades. Esq., was voted 



to the Chair. 



The Minutes of the last Meeting were confirmed. 



S Wekey, Esq., Hon. Sec, announced to the Meeting, that in 

 order to meet the wishes of several of its Members, it was resolved 

 at the last Meeting of the Council that the Monthly Meetmg of 

 the Society should be held on the second Tuesday of the month 

 instead of on the second Saturday. 



New Members admitted since the last Monthly Meeting of the 

 Society :— W. C. Rownsley, and Charles Gregory Femagle, Esqs. 



Dr. Mueller's paper, — " Definitions of rare and hitherto unde- 

 scribed Australian Plants," was laid before the Meeting. 



Clement Hodgkinson, Esq., read a paper on— " Engineering 

 Earthworks, and Railway Cuttings," iUustrated by tables and dia- 

 grams. 



Dr. Eades having vacated the Chair, which was occupied by 

 Dr. Iffla, brought forward an essay—*' On the comparative Actions 

 of Disinfecting Agents." 



Dr. Eades showed that hypochlorite of lime should be considered 

 as the true disinfecting agent. By the combination of the carbonic 

 acid of the air with the base of this salt, hyponitrous acid 

 ( CI + O ) was eliminated. The elements of this acid being 

 nearly equally negative electric repel each other, thus oxygen is 

 set free, purifying the air, while the disengaged chlorine acting 

 on aqueous vapour, an additional quantity of oxygen is set free, 

 at the same time that other atoms of chlorine decompose the foetid 

 gases. After some further remarks on the part of Dr. Eades, some 

 discussion took place, and Charles Eeinagle, Esq., observed that 

 upon the theory now proposed, the moisture of the air would be 

 rapidly exhausted by decomposition, in which case the chlorine 

 would cease to act. 



To this it was replied that the chlorine was given off in its 

 moist state. 



Several of the Members expressed their opinions in reference 

 to Dr. Eades' assertions, and the subject was then allowed to give 

 place to the other business of the Meeting. 



The President having arrived. Dr. S. Iffla vacated the Chair, and 

 requested the President to occupy the same. The progress made 

 with reference to the contemplated exploring expedition having 

 been brought forward before the Meeting by the President, it was 

 noved hj Eichard Eades, Esq., M.D., seconded by R. Brough 

 ■ 'myth, Esq., and carried—** That the Council be instructed to pre- 



