524 
LIVERPOOL CHEMISTS’ ASSOCIATION. 
Imitative gems came next in order. Although the chemical composition of the precious, 
stones is known, the attempts to produce them by synthetical processes have not hither¬ 
to been attended with such success as to enable them to be introduced into commerce. 
We may go through all the gems, however, and there is not one which Birmingham 
cannot produce for us. In Paris alone there are 446 makers of imitation jewellery, and 
48 makers of imitation stones and pearls; and if to these are added hundreds of work¬ 
men in England, Germany, and elsewhere, some idea may be formed of imitative gems 
manufactured. The processes for imitative pearls were next described, followed by the 
numerous substitutes for Whitby jet, coral, lava, Japan work, and ivory. 
The Chairman spoke in the highest terms of Mr. Sharp’s paper, and regretted that 
there was not a larger attendance. He proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Sharp. 
Mr. Robinson seconded the vote, which was carried unanimously. The lecture was 
copiously illustrated with examples of the substances described, and with diagrams. 
Twelfth General Meeting, held March 26th, 1868; the President, Mr. R. Sumner, in 
the chair. 
The Secretary announced the following donations:—The ‘Chemist and Druggist.’ 
Mr. Hilditch said, that he had prepared linimentum ammonise according to the Phar¬ 
macopoeia, and had obtained a good product which could be poured. He exhibited a 
specimen and prepared some at the meeting. He believed that the thickness depended 
on the purity of the oil. 
Mr. Symes stated that he found it always became thick when kept. He thought 
that the Pharmacopoeia would be improved if the impurities indicated by the tests were 
named. He also considered that formulae should have been given for a syrup of phos¬ 
phates to replace Parrish’s, and for chlorodyne, as they were constantly prescribed. He 
did not think it incumbent on pharmacists to dispense Dr. Collis Browne’s chlorodyne 
only. 
The Secretary remarked that the Pharmacopoeia was not a text-book of chemistry, 
and that it assumed the possession of some knowledge of analytical reactions. 
Mr. Redford had found that Parrish’s syrup could only be obtained good when pre¬ 
pared by Mr. Parrish. He always dispensed Collis Browne’s chlorodyne. 
Mr. Symes replied, that he prepared his own syrup of phosphates, and found it keep 
well. The liq. bismuthi was intended to replace Schaeht’s, and chlorodyne was made 
by others equal to Collis Browne’s, and a formula could have been given. 
Mr. Sharp said, that he thought the efficacy of medicines was often diminished by 
the anxiety of pharmacists to prepare a so-called elegant preparation, and that he would 
like to know what was the precise meaning of “elegant,” as applied to medicines. As 
liq. bismuthi (Scbacht’s) had a known composition, no comparison could be made 
between it and chlorodyne. 
The President requested Mr. Sharp to read the second part of his paper on “ The 
Applications of Science to the Production of Artificial Substauces.” 
Imitative fruit, essences, odours, flowers, parchment, bone, leather, india-rubber, etc., 
were treated of in the second lecture. 
The chemist has the Hesperidean Gardens at his command. He is independent of 
fruit-trees, glowing orchards, and September sun. He requires only an Irishman’s 
Arcadia, a potato-field, and he will produce the essences of strawberries, sweet as ever 
grew in English gardens, pears of Jargonelle of delicious flavour, pine-apples of the far- 
off Indies, until you wonder into what orchards of Paradise this chemist has strayed. 
Gratitude is due to a beneficent science, which, when Nature will not produce sweet- 
briar, gives us its perfume for a mere song. In fact, we are learning to snap our fingers 
at Nature, and to remind her that for all purposes of perfumery we need no honeysuckle, 
jonquil, myrtle, heliotrope, or violet; they may vanish from our gardens, so far as the 
perfumes they yield are concerned, we can supply them from other sources. 
Mr. Sharp concluded, by referring to the necessity for a greater spread of scientific 
knowledge. He had no sympathy with lamentation and woe now filling the land, on 
the score of the English people being behind other nations in matters of science. Fogs 
and north-easterly winds always generate discontent in the British mind, and discontent 
always results in genuine work. The first item of technical education this nation has to 
learn is the art of knowing its own strength, and having faith in itself, out of which will 
