112 
completely entangled the fibrous objects contained in the 
bottle and formed them into a mass,” I may add that the 
contents of the bottle were very frequently subjected to 
critical examination for any change in their appearance from 
the time I received it from Dr. R. A. Smith until all appear- 
ance of vitality had ceased. The amount of solid matter 
suspended in the atmosphere is exceeding variable — after 
continued rain the air is comparatively free, whereas in very 
dry weather with high wind, in localities where dust and 
decomposing matter are abundant, it will be found at a con- 
siderable altitude. 
E. W. Binney, F.RS., called the attention of the meeting 
to the frightfully high death-rate of Manchester and Sal- 
ford, which continued to increase, notwithstanding the 
appointment of officers of health, and the doings of the 
councils of the two towns. He noticed the lamentable 
state of the poor as to habits of cleanliness and their igno- 
rance of the nourishing properties of the food they con- 
sumed, the adulteration of their food and drinks, and the 
overcrowding of dwellings; but these evils were common to 
most large towns. Manchester was not now to such an 
extent as it once was a cotton spinning town, so the neglect 
of infants by the absence of mothers at work was not so 
great as it had been here, and now is in some other places; 
but the sudden change of light-clad females from the high 
temperature of a fine spinning mill to the cold of the open 
air must have a very injurious effect on their health. The 
city authorities complained of the owners of property not 
improving the dwellings of the poor and looking after their 
tenants, whilst the owners retorted on the authorities by 
saying that many of their tenants would not pay for decent 
habitations and would certainly not keep their houses clean 
if they could get their landlords to do it for them, and they 
wished the sanitary reformers of the Council to become 
owners of cottage property and try their hands practically 
