218 
PHARMACEUTICAL MEETING. 
PRACTICAL CHEMISTRY. 
Professor Attfield said that tlie gentlemen who had attended the class of 
Practical Chemistry had fully sustained the reputation which had hitherto 
characterized the pupils of the Institution ; indeed, he was almost of opinion 
that some of them worked rather too hard, at all events at their books, 
regarding the information which they acquired merely as a means of enabling 
them to pass the examinations. He had been concerned to see gentlemen 
devoting day after day and week after week to the acquirement of all the 
minutiae of book knowledge, while neglecting, to some extent, more practical 
studies in the laboratory. It was a truism, that knowdedge rapidly acquired 
from books soon passed from the memory, whilst principles deduced from 
one’s own experiments were never forgotten. With regard to examinations 
it w’as always to be borne in mind, that they were not good tests of a 
man’s real powers and capacities, although they were the best which could be 
adopted, and it was gratifying to know that the examinations of their Society 
had been said, by gentlemen well w r orthy to form an opinion, to be as good 
as any of their kind, if not superior, for they had a table for practical phar¬ 
macy, one for practical botany, and, he was happy to say, a corner of one for 
practical chemistry. At the same time it must be remembered that in ex¬ 
aminations, w hich depended very greatly on question and answer, a good 
memory, and perhaps a dash of impudence, might triumph over deeper 
thought and honest nervousness. He said nothing against examinations, 
and commended every one who devoted his energies to passing them credit¬ 
ably. He would also avoid giving the impression, that in the laboratory of 
wdiicli he had the honour to be Director, preparation for examinations was 
neglected; on the contrary, he would not allow that a candidate could any- 
w'here be fitted for the Examining Board more rapidly and soundly than in 
the Society’s school. At the same time, he aimed at something higher, and 
would ever impress the student with the fact that the attainment of knowledge 
was infinitely more important than the possession of any certificate or diploma. 
Professor Attfield then described the nature of the examination, and said, 
that the successful candidates w r ere fully deserving of the distinctions which 
would now T be conferred upon them. 
Questions and awards,— 
1. The “solution” given to you may contain any of the ordinary metallic salts used in 
medicine ; analyse it, and state the results. 
2. The accompanying “ powder ” is also a mixture of common metallic salts; examine 
it, and report your conclusions. 
3. You are furnished with what you may regard as a “ vomit ” suspected to contain one 
of the following poisons:—mercury, arsenic, antimony, lead, copper, oxalic acid, 
hydrocyanic acid ; which is present ? 
4. What is the composition of the “ urinary deposit ” placed before you ? 
5. Ascertain the amount of carbonate of iron in the “saccharated carbonate of iron” 
given to you. 
Council Medal. 
Certificate of Merit... 
John Scoley Battle. 
Edward Earl. 
Alexander Pedler. 
PRIZE FOR HERBARIA. 
Certificate of Merit .Charles Fryer. 
PEREIRA MEDAL. 
Twenty-two candidates having passed in honours during the past Session, 
were eligible to compete for the above prize. 
