253 
AN IMPOSTOR, 
TO THE EDITOR OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. 
Sir,—I have just received from Mr. Bremridge two letters, which he had 
received from Liverpool and Chester, by which I learn that a person calling 
himself “Jonathan Phillips ” has, for the last two or three weeks, been soli¬ 
citing alms from Pharmaceutical Chemists in the above-mentioned and other 
towns, by representing himself as a Major Associate of the Society; that he 
had lived with Mr. Potter, Dudley Green, Paddington, but, from an attack of 
paralysis, was unable to take another situation; that he had applied several 
times to the Pharmaceutical Society for aid, but vainly ; and. that he had 
been compelled to work his way from London to Preston, his home,—such, at 
least, was the story he told at Chester. 
Now, I find by reference to the register that amongst the Major Associates 
there is no Jonathan Phillips besides myself; therefore 'tis some scamp who 
has been making use of my name to impose on the good-nature of those who, 
desirous of relieving a distressed Member of the Society, assisted him. 
I trust you will give insertion to this, as it will serve to caution any to 
whom he may apply in future, and will also enlighten those who have been 
deceived by his impersonating me to the fact of his not being a Pharmaceu¬ 
tical Chemist, still less— 
Sir, yours obligedly, 
Jonathan Phillips. 
23, Place Vendome, Paris, October 23rd, 1867. 
ON THE ECONOMIZATION OF SULPHUROUS ACID IN COPPER 
SMELTING.* 
BY PETER SPENCE, F.C.S. 
It will be in the recollection of members of this section that Lord Derby, in 1861, 
obtained the appointment of a Committee of the House of Lords for obtaining evidence as 
to the noxious vapours from chemical works, etc. That investigation, carried over many 
months, resulted in the passing of what is called the “Alkali Works Act,” and which 
has been so ably and successfully carried out by my friend Dr. Angus Smith. 
At the same time a large amount of evidence was taken as to the emission of sulphu¬ 
rous acid, and arsenious acid from the copper-smelting works at Swansea, and other 
parts of the country; but no legislation was adopted, because, with the exception of the 
writer of this paper, all the witnesses testified to there being no practicable means of 
suppressing the nuisance without destroying the trade. 
Copper-smelting, as now conducted, appears at first sight a very crude, but is in 
reality a very beautiful, chemical process. The ores used are of a heterogeneous charac¬ 
ter, chiefly iron pyrites more or less impregnated with copper, and containing besides 
arsenides and sulphides of various other metals, with a large mixture of quartz. The 
first process of the copper-smelter is by calcination to separate a quantity of the sulphur 
and as much as possible of the arsenic ; for this purpose the mixed ores are exposed to 
a red heat, and these bodies are dissipated into the atmosphere. When calcined, the 
ores must still retain a portion of the sulphur, varying with its richness in copper, this 
sulphur playing an important part in the next operation. The calcined ores are now 
melted down by great heat into a fluid state, when the sulphur not dissipated unites 
with a portion of the iron and every trace of the copper, for which it has great affinity, 
and sinks to the bottom of the furnace, carrying with it any of the precious metals 
which may be present. The large mass of the fluid now floating at the top is silicate of 
iron, and is skimmed off and thrown away as slag. The re.gulus run from the bottom of 
the furnace contains from 20 to 35 per cent, of copper, and almost invariably 28 per cent. 
* Read before the British Association at Dundee. 
