ON THE WATERS OF THE PHARMACOPOEIA. 
161 
use that its very success seems to be the most likely chance of its failure. It is a subject 
which I hope will be brought forward by some member for discussion at the present 
meeting, and failing other introduction, I trust that my friend Mr. Brady, who, I know, 
has recently been at Munich, its birthplace, if I may so term it, and has had conversations 
with Professor Pettenkofer, may have something to say with regard to it. 
And now, Gentlemen, though I might continue this address almost indefinitely, it is 
time that I concluded, giving place to the business which you are here assembled to trans¬ 
act. From the harmony and good-fellowship everywhere manifested in our debates on the 
last occasion I had the honour of occupying the position as your chairman, I know that 
no advice is needed from me on the necessity of patience and forbearance in the consi¬ 
deration of the many important papers which will be laid before you, and in the expres¬ 
sion of opinion bearing upon them. 
But I cannot close my address by merely congratulating you on assembling in this 
great centre of midland industry, without expressing the great gratification I have in 
meeting so many members newly enrolled. Still less can I omit to say a word or two 
on our reception here ; we, some of us, feared that the energetic and kindly hospitality 
we experienced last year at Bath was too bright a beginning to be taken as a type of 
what our meetings might be expected to be : but, Gentlemen, any forebodings the more 
anxious of us might have had vanished before we had been in your noble town for an 
hour, and I feel that I cannot express, in terms strong enough, the great obligation I feel, 
not only on my own behalf, but on that of the Conference, to your local committee for 
the kind attention they have shown in the complete and careful arrangement which 
they have made for our comfort and convenience. I regret deeply the absence of your 
local secretary and the cause which prevents his being with us at this meeting, though 
his place has been well filled by his relative, Mr. Dymond. I am quite sure that when 
our sittings shall have terminated, we shall look back with the same pleasure to the 
gatherings we shall have held in this room that accompanies the retrospect of all pre¬ 
vious experiences associated with the British Pharmaceutical Conference. 
Mr. T. W. Holdswortii (Birmingham) proposed, “ That the best thanks of this Con¬ 
ference are due and be now presented to the President, Mr. Henry Deane, for his inter¬ 
esting and valuable inaugural address, as well as for his uniform interest in the progress 
of Pharmacy and efficiency of the Drug trade in this country.” He (Mr. Holdsworth) 
had listened to the address with inexpressible pleasure, and had been struck with its 
manly, hearty, and honest tone. 
Mr. Jones (Leamington) seconded the resolution. He had met Mr. Deane at Bath, 
and had then derived much valuable information from the outpourings of his well-stored 
mind. The Conference was the fruition of the educational labours of the Pharmaceutical 
Society during the past twenty years. It was to a large extent those who had received 
their professional education at Bloomsbury Square, who were now joining in the efforts 
of the Conference for the systematic advancement of Pharmaceutical science. Such a 
fact was the best testimonial to the value of that institution. 
The resolution having been carried, 
The President, in acknowledging the vote of thanks, observed that the honourable 
position he held amongst them on this occasion was largely due to a resolution he made 
on entering the drug trade, that it should afford him the chief source of his pleasures 
through life, and that by adhering to this rule so early laid down, he now experienced 
the highest gratification in the approval of the Conference in his humble efforts to serve 
the cause they had undertaken. 
The reading of Papers then commenced. 
ON THE WATERS OF THE PHARMACOPOEIA. 
BY MR. J. C. POOLEY. 
The questions proposed on this subject read as follows :— 
“ Distilled waters: should these be prepared from the raw material or s from 
the essential oil ?” 
“Can any be prepared without distillation?” (which sounds rather para¬ 
doxical). 
