23 
THE PHARMACY BILL. 
M. Dumas, in 1848, compressed it in large quantities, using a very strong 
reservoir. It requires a pressure of thirty atmospheres before liquefaction 
commences. 
Nitrous oxide in the liquid state is colourless, very mobile, and perfectly 
transparent. Each drop that falls upon the skin produces a very painful 
burn. The gas which is incessantly liberated by a slow ebullition possesses all 
the properties of protoxide of nitrogen. When in the liquid state it is per¬ 
fectly miscible with alcohol and ether. Mr. Ernest Hart has suggested this plan 
of condensing the gas, and mixing it with alcohol, as rendering it more portable, 
the present mode of carrying it in india-rubber bags being very inconvenient. 
I here are, however, at present mechanical difficulties to be overcome before the 
plan is available. , * 
M. Dumas found that 2 pounds of nitrate of ammonia produced 44 gallons 
of gas, 20 gallons of which were pumped into the reservoir before any liquid 
was formed. The last 22 gallons gave about 6 fluid ounces of liquid nitrous 
oxide. 
THE PHARMACY BILL. 
TO THE EDITORS OE THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. 
Gentlemen,—The successful progress of the “ Sale of Poisons and Pharmacy 
Act Amendment Bill ” through the House of Lords, renders it imperative that 
all concerned should examine its details as now proposed. 
Fortunately, the mutual concessions that have been made have settled its 
essential principles, but we may reasonably expect that there are matters of de¬ 
tail open to improvement. 
In common with many of my country brethren, I regard clause 20 as being 
such an instance. It states as follows:— 
u Every person who is or has been in business on his own account as a chemist 
and druggist as aforesaid at the time of the passing of this Act, and who shall 
become a member of the Pharmaceutical Society, shall be eligible for election to 
the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society; but the said Council shall not at 
any time contain more than seven members who are not on the Register of 
Pharmaceutical Chemists, nor more than seven members who shall not, at the 
time of election, bond fide reside within twelve miles of highway or road from 
the General Post Office in St. Martin’s-le-Grand.” 
The ultimate results of the clause are too uncertain to be fully predicted, 
since it permits the election of seven members of Council other than Pharma¬ 
ceutical Chemists. This permissive system, subject to the power of a majority, 
may be regarded as hardly consistent with definite legislation ; but let that pass, 
as my business now is with another point. 
Like many other country members, I object strongly to the threatened limi¬ 
tation of our representative influence in tbe Council. For some years past the 
country members of Council have averaged nine, there being no restriction upon 
the numbers eligible, and, had the constituency so pleased, the whole Council 
might have been elected from provincial members. 
It is now proposed to limit the number of country members of Council to 
seven, whilst fourteen are always to be drawn from the Metropolis. Let us 
consider the relative strength brought to the Society by the two classes, whose 
separation of interests seem thus invited for the first time by clause 20. 
The annual financial statement of the present year gives us the following data 
for a comparison:— 
Number. Subscriptions. 
London Members .... 358 .. . £375 
Country ditto. 1397 . . . £1496 
