LIVERPOOL CHEMISTS’ ASSOCIATION. 
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is behind no former one. The influence of railways, electric telegraphs, steam-printing, 
presses and machinery generally, goes on advancing, augmenting the comforts and ap¬ 
pliances of life, the power of man over the physical world, accelerating the diffusion of 
knowledge, and bringing not luxury alone to the rich, but by cheapening commodities, 
ameliorating the social condition of the masses, adding to their enjoyments and refining 
their tastes. 
Never was there a time when so general and wide-spread an activity prevailed in all 
departments of human progress. An eloquent divine recently said, “We regard with 
fervent admiration those triumphs of the scientific intellect which will invest the last 
fifty years in the history of this country with splendour, different in kind from that which 
rests upon the Elizabethan age. but neither less lasting nor less glorious. "W e acknow¬ 
ledge that but for the scientific discoveries which the present generation has seen applied 
to the arts of life, the stability and grandeur of this country would be threatened with 
early decay, and all moral and religious interests which are involved in the prosperity 
and power of the English nation seriously imperilled. To us, the illustrious students of 
nature are ministers of God and benefactors of mankind. Without the rapture of inspi¬ 
ration, they are prophets who interpret to us the laws by which God orders his physical 
creation ; they are priests, by whose service and mediation, rich and innumerable bless¬ 
ings, which it has ever been in the heart of God to grant, are actually obtained for the 
relief of human suffering, the increase of human happiness, and the general elevation 
and improvement of the condition of our race. As yet, these brilliant triumphs over the 
mysteries and powers of the physical universe are only just beginning, and, we seem to 
be on the very edge of great discoveries, the ultimate influence of which, on the thought 
and progress of mankind, it is impossible to anticipate.” 
Let us hope and believe that this wave of progress, as it swells across our time, will 
not leave us, the Pharmaceutists of the day, behind; but has already lifted and impelled 
us forward many degrees, and is still working powerfully to accomplish yet greater 
advances among us. 
Descending to business matters, we might imitate a commercial circular, and say, that 
during the past year there has been a fair or even increased demand for physic. An 
evident tendency is shown to adopt a different style of prescribing, to countenance im¬ 
provements* and study elegance and agreeableness and simplicity in the remedies ordered; 
while these are being augmented from time to time from foreign dispensatories or new 
discoveries. The series of phosphates and their preparations continue in as great favour 
as ever. Singular to say, an impression prevails that the syr. phosphatis compositse of 
Parrish contains iron phosphate, which it does not, but lime, soda, and potash. Granular 
preparations multiply, and effervescent citrate of magnesia has gone mad. Liebig’s food 
and ext. carnis seem likely to follow the example. The beautiful double salt of ammo- 
nio-citrate of bismuth is coming into use. Also the pure carbolic acid, which Mr. Davis 
introduced to us last session, has been much used, and, being perfectly soluble, forms, 
with rose-water, a most elegant antiseptic lotion. It has been suggested as a remedy 
for rinderpest. Cacao butter warrants the expectations entertained of it. I have used 
it considerably for pessaries and ointments; for the former, I can find no plan so good as 
casting them in a mould, made by rolling glazed writing-paper round a thin ruler, and 
fixing it with a little sealing-wax. The paper is detached with ease by breaking the 
seal. 
The very successful use of the mineral acids, especially the nitric, for checking diarrhoea, 
is worthy of remark. 
Magnesium wire, as a parlour novelty, is now exploded, and the favourite of the coming 
winter-season will, I suppose, be Pharaoh’s Serpents, though the French Government 
seem afraid to sanction the introduction of the devouring element. Chemistry, Phar¬ 
macy, and Materia Medica have been well represented at the Dublin Exhibition ; and, 
among the rest, some old acquaintances of our own, from Australia, appear in essential 
oils, gums, and barks. Of these, the sassafras bark and oil are much used as a medicine 
in the colonial hospitals. 
At the time when I last addressed you, the Pharmaceutical world had not recovered 
from the excitement produced by the appearance of the long talked of British Pharma¬ 
copoeia. Discussions were numerous, opinions conflicting, and the feelings resulting not 
always pleasant; but now that use for a considerable time has made us tolerably familiar 
with it, it seems, as Mr. Deane says, “ that the difficulties are not so great as at first sight 
