ON THE ADULTERATION OF WHITE PRECIPITATE. 
157 
universe, will be unmindful of him,—His noblest work,—a being endowed with 
a soul and adapted for a higher state of existence? With such thoughts, could 
he do otherwise than endeavour so to discharge his duties in this world, that he 
might look forward w r ith full assurance to a brighter and happier existence 
hereafter ? 
And now, before I conclude, let me, on behalf of myself and other visitors, 
return our most cordial thanks to the local committee for the very kind 
and hospitable manner in which they have received us, and for the complete 
and satisfactory arrangements they have made for holding the meetings of the 
Conference. 
Mr. Young (Edinburgh) moved a cordial vote of thanks to Professor Bent¬ 
ley for his able address. He was thoroughly convinced of the advantage of a 
knowledge of botany, not only in early life, but as an elevating pursuit and 
recreation at later periods. 
Mr. Kerr (Dundee) seconded the motion, and stated that the eloquent ad¬ 
dress to which they had just listened recalled to his mind both the pleasure he 
had taken in botany during his student days, and also its gratifications when 
taken up at a later period during the enforced leisure caused by illness. 
The resolution was put by Mr. Hanbury, and most heartily applauded. 
The President acknowledged the vote appropriately. 
Mr. Hodge, the Local Secretary, on behalf of the chemists of Dundee, had 
much pleasure in returning thanks for the kind appreciation that had been 
shown of the arrangements which had been made for the meetings of the Con¬ 
ference this year. It had given the Committee much pleasure in endeavouring 
to make the arrangements as complete as possible, and they had reaped their 
reward by the expression of approval which had been made. 
Dr. Gibson had listened with very great satisfaction and pleasure to the por¬ 
tion of the President’s address he had heard, and he thought the meeting of the 
Pharmaceutical Conference here was an exceeding good augury for the town of 
Dundee, in which he had resided for a long time. He had long felt that so re¬ 
spectable a body as the chemists and druggists of Dundee had not occupied that 
position which they were entitled to do, and it had been an earnest endeavour 
on his part—although he had no power to do much good—to see them occupy 
their proper position ; and he hoped the meeting would end in the recognition 
of the practical chemists and druggists by the State as well as the profession, 
and that the members of it would have, like the medical profession, their 
diploma, which would do something towards raising them in the esteem and 
respect of the community. He entered most warmly into the thoughts, so far 
as he had heard them, expressed by the President; and he gave his entire con¬ 
currence in the objects of the meeting. 
The reading of the Papers then commenced. 
ON THE ADULTERATION OP WHITE PRECIPITATE. 
BY J. B. BARNES, F.C.S. 
Seventeen years ago, whilst on the look-out to apply my newly acquired 
knowledge of chemical analysis, I tested some white precipitate, in the stock of 
a highly respectable pharmaceutist, and was astonished to find that it contained 
50 per cent, of chalk ; it had been supplied by a wholesale house in London, 
doing a large trade, and at the price of a pure article. I made the matter 
