288 Scientific Notes. 
Mr. A. F. Taylor, of Andover, Mass., sends the following note on poisonous 
india-rubber toys to the “ Boston Journal of Chemistry:” — “ Prof. B. Tollens, 
in the “Journal of the Berlin Chemical Society,” of November 13, 1876, calls 
attention to the injuriousness of many of the articles manufactured from 
caoucchouc, which, among other impurities, contains a very large per cent of 
zinc oxide. In the rubber nipples of milk-bottles for children this has often 
been found to be the case, and so much attention has been called to this fad 
that the manufacture of these nipples containing zinc oxide has to a great 
extent ceased. But more recently suspicions have been aroused concerning 
the quality of children’s toys, dolls, animals, &c., made from rubber. One 
case, in which a child, having one of these dolls, had had it for some time in 
its mouth, grew sick, and the doll, laid in vinegar, became covered with an 
incrustation (without doubt zinc acetate), led to direct investigation. In 
°'73 2 5 grm. °f such a doll, ©’4446 grm. zinc oxide was found, or 60*58 per 
cent. Another portion gave, after being subjected to a red-heat, 62*64 grms. 
of ash, yellow while hot, white on cooling. In the ash besides the zinc were 
traces of lime, iron, and phosphoric acid. From another doll which had been 
warranted ‘ harmless ’ 57*68 per cent of ash was obtained, consisting almost 
wholly of zinc oxide.” 
The following gentlemen were requested by the Council of the Royal 
Dublin Society to consider and report upon the scientific prospects of that 
Society: — Sir Richard Griffith, Bart., F.R.SS. L. and E. ; H. Lloyd, 
D.D., F.R.SS., L. and E., Earl of Rosse, F.R.S. ; M. H. Close, M.A. ; 
W. F. Barrett, F.R.S.E. ; W. R. M‘Nab, M.D. ; Gerald Molloy, D.D. ; 
Alexander Carte, M.D. ; Alexander M‘Donnell, M.A., J. Emerson Rey- 
nolds, M.D., F.C.S. ; Wm. Andrews ; Edward Hull, M.A., F.R.S. ; Alex. 
Macalister, M.D. ; B. B. Stoney, M.A., M.I.C.E. ; Lord Gough, Howard 
Grubb, M.E., F.R.A.S. ; Robert S. Ball, LL.D., F.R.S. ; Charles A. Came- 
ron, M.D.; Robert M‘Donnell, M.D., F.R.S.; G. Johnstone Stoney, M.A., 
F.R.S.; Charles Kelly, M.A., Q.C. From their report we learn that, while 
while the Royal Dublin Society during the century and a half of its existence 
has engaged in many most useful branches of scientific work, its labours in 
relation to some of these have been -from time to time superseded owing to 
their being entrusted by the Government to Public Departments, in order to 
continue them on a larger scale than the Society could have attempted ; and 
the Society’s work has been thus from time to time circumscribed by the 
establishment of such institutions as the Ordnance Survey of Ireland, the 
Geological Survey of Ireland, and the Royal College of Science. It is now 
proposed that the Society’s prolonged scientific labours in connexion with its 
Museums and Botanical Garden shall in like manner be undertaken by the 
Government. If the Royal Dublin Society assent to this change the Committee 
are of opinion that it will do a very important service both to science and to 
Ireland if it can mould itself into two societies, of which one shall be devoted 
to science, pure and applied, in all its branches, and the other to agriculture. 
It is recommended that the present members of the Royal Dublin Society be 
members of both these Societies, and that those existing members of the 
Royal Irish Academy who are not already members of the Royal Dublin 
Society shall have privileges with resped: to the Scientific Society cor- 
responding with those to be enjoyed by members of the Royal Dublin Society. 
It is further recommended that within the Scientific Society there be an inner 
body of Fellows. 
