714 
LIVERPOOL CHEMISTS’ ASSOCIATION. 
products for which uses have been found, and the production of which is the chief 
object of the manufacturer, but there are also by-products, or waste matters, for which 
no profitable use has been discovered, and the disposal of such products is, in most 
cases, a source of considerable trouble to the manufacturer, and frequently the cause of 
great annoyance to other people, the neighbourhoods of our manufactories being too 
often characterized by foul smells, filthy streams, blighted trees and herbage, and heaps 
of rubbish. I think that all those who have given this matter any consideration must 
confess that this state of things ought not to exist. The question of the treatment of 
the refuse products of our manufactories has not received that amount of attention it 
deserves, although it is one of very considerable importance, not only in a commercial 
point of view, but also in its relations to sanitary science, and the comfort and conveni¬ 
ence of a large portion of the community. Still I cannot by any means say that it has 
been altogether lost sight of, as there have been many earnest labourers in the field. 
Whether successful or unsuccessful, the labours of these investigators have been pro¬ 
ductive of valuable information, which we shall do well to carefully and systematically 
study. Before entering into any details on any particular process or investigation there 
are two or three points which I offer for your consideration. 
“ I have spoken of refuse as being, in many cases, the source of considerable nuisance 
and annoyance, and in such cases it becomes a question how far legislative influence 
should be brought to bear upon the matter in order to prevent or abate evil. I am as 
jealous as any man of legislative interference with our manufactures, and would by no 
means advocate any extensive system of legislation which could interfere with the 
liberty of a manufacturer to carry on his processes in any way he thought proper, pro¬ 
vided he did so without annoyance or danger to his neighbours or others ; but there are 
cases where manufacturers are so thriftless, so careless, so indolent, and so reckless, that 
it becomes absolutely necessary that they should be compelled to do that which they 
ought to do without compulsion. At any rate, leaving the subject of the utilization of 
such products out of the question, I think it should be laid down as a general principle, 
that the refuse of every manufactory should be so treated, that when it is cast away it 
cannot become injurious to health, or in any way a source of injury or annoyance to 
any person. I own it is a difficult matter to arrange, but I must confess that there are 
cases where more extensive legislative interference would prove beneficial. We have 
in connection with chemical manufactures an Act of Parliament which has, I think, 
been in force about five years. I allude to what is known as the Alkali Act of 1863, 
and I believe that if those manufacturers who are affected by this Act were to be all 
canvassed as to their opinion respecting it, there is scarcely one who would say that it 
has in any way caused him injury or annoyance. On the other hand, I believe that this 
Act, whilst it has, to a considerable extent, protected the public from damage from the 
escape of large quantities of hydrochloric acid, has also proved a source of benefit to the 
manufacturers themselves, and much of this is owing to the wise and judicious manner 
in which the provisions of the Act have been carried out. I have no hesitation in say¬ 
ing, from what I have myself seen and heard, that the manufacturers, instead of feeling 
in any way injured, rather vie with each other, not only to keep the condensation within 
the legal limits, but to make it as complete and perfect as possible. And even as this 
Act has proved beneficial, so do I thiuk that a judicious extension of it to other 
emanations from chemical and other manufactures would be productive of still 
better results, and I should look with some degree of satisfaction upon such an ex¬ 
tension as would, at any rate, include the sulphurous and nitrous acids that escape 
from sulphuric acid works, and also the sulphurous smoke that emanates from copper 
works. Before leaving this Alkali Act, let me say that I think it affords us an 
example which shows the desirability of placing all matters having reference to nui¬ 
sances and sanitary arrangements under the control of a body of men fitted by their 
education and pursuits to deal with the questions presented to them, rather than 
leave them, to so great an extent as we do now, to health committees and local 
boards. There is also another point worthy of consideration, and that is the very small 
proportion of processes‘proposed for utilizing waste products that have proved successful. 
I do not know, however, that this remark can apply to waste products only. If we 
refer to our patent lists or chemical periodicals, we find innumerable other processes that 
have proved complete failures, even though all the necessary elements of success appear 
to be contained in them. Now I think there is one thing in respect to this which, in 
