134 Proceedings of the Royal Society 
While a medical student he became a member of the Royal Medi- 
cal Society, of which he was chosen senior president in 1826-27, his 
junior being James Kay, now Sir James Kay Shuttleworth. 
In 1827, Mr David Reid commenced a course of practical che- 
mistry, which was very useful and very popular. He aimed at 
enabling each student to familiarise himself, by experiments made 
under the directions of a teacher, with the properties of the chief 
chemical substances, and the phenomena attending their action on 
each other. 
After much approval in his extra-mural lecture-room, he joined 
Dr Hope in the College, and was again quite successful in the object 
of his course. But the Professor and Assistant had some misunder- 
standings, which led Mr Reid to leave the College, and renew his 
independent lectures, which were highly appreciated — attended 
by all classes, — the young ambitious student, — the veteran philoso- 
pher and man of science, — the man of intelligence feeling the 
want of science. On his benches met Dr Chalmers and Sir John 
Leslie, Professors Oeorge Joseph Bell and Pillans, Dean Ramsay 
and Mr Combe. 
After the burning of the Houses of Parliament, and in contem- 
plation of a new building, when a committee of the Commons was 
inquiring on the subject of its ventilation and acoustics. Dr Reid 
was examined as a witness, from having devoted much attention 
to those subjects, and having shown excellent examples of his skill, 
first iu his own lecture-room, and, later, in the great temporary 
edifice, erected 15th September 1834, in the High School ground, 
for the Edinburgh dinner to Lord G-rey, at which 2768 persons 
were present, and 240 ladies in the gallery, and each individual 
speaker was distinctly heard.* 
The result of his examination was, that Dr Reid was employed 
to direct the ventilation and acoustics of the temporary House of 
Commons in 1836. It is not pretended that his plans gave uni- 
versal satisfaction to the 700 members, each of whom had a dif- 
ferent notion, and of course a peculiar constitution of body to be 
suited. But, after ten years’ experience, in 1846, a fair committee 
of the House reported as to “ the great improvement eflected,” and 
“ concurred in the general opinion in its favour.” 
The Pavilion was 113 feet in length by 101 feet in breadth. 
