403 
LIVERPOOL CHEMISTS’ ASSOCIATION. 
object of being used as signals by the belligerents in tbe late American war. He 
stated that the brilliant light they produced on burning, as well as its colour, was due 
to the paper being impregnated with a metallic chlorate, which caused intense and 
rapid combustion of the carbon of the paper, and volatilized a portion of the metallic 
base at the same time, whence the coloured light. 
The President next called upon Mr. Edw. Davies, F.C.S., to favour the meeting with 
his lecture 44 On Mercury and its Compounds.” 
Mr. Davies then delivered a very interesting lecture (which, however, did not extend 
beyond the consideration of the metal), and a short discussion followed, in which Mr. 
Mercer, the Secretary, Mr. Williams, and the President took part. 
A vote of thanks, passed from the Chair to Mr. Davies for his instructive address, con¬ 
cluded the business of the evening. 
The fourth general meeting was held on the evening of November 23, 1865 ; the 
President in the chair. 
The following donations to the Library were announced, and the thanks of the meet¬ 
ing awarded to the donors:—The 4 Chemist and Druggist,’ and the 4 Proceedings of the 
Pharmaceutical Conference at Birmingham.’ 
Dr. Edwards desired to direct the attention of the members, and of the chemists and 
druggists of the town, to the risk attached to the sale of articles in capsuled vessels 
other than those known as “Betts’s Patent.” He gave a detailed account of the nature 
of the alloy patented by Mr. Betts, and used in the manufacture of the capsules; he 
deprecated strongly the questionable way in which proceedings had been taken against 
many persons on the part of the patentee for selling capsuled articles, and quoted the 
legal opinion of Mr. Flux, the solicitor of the Pharmaceutical Society, on the subject. 
He thought it was advisable that the capsules should be discontinued, and the public 
notified that such articles as were heretofore sold in capsuled vessels would, in future, 
be offered without the capsules. 
The President concurred in the propriety of the suggestion, and said he would act 
upon it. 
Mr. John Abraham drew attention to the forthcoming issue of the 4 British Pharma¬ 
copoeia ;’ he referred to the course adopted by the Medical Council in bringing out the 
first edition, and considered it very desirable an alteration should be made in it in 
future, so that no 44 private and confidential” restriction should be imposed upon the 
members of the Medical Council and others such as would preclude the revision of 
the work by persons outside of the Council. He submitted the following resolutions, 
which were seconded by Dr. Edwards, and carried unanimously:— 
44 That the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society be requested to obtain proof sheets 
of the forthcoming issue of the new 4 British Pharmacopoeia ’ for examination, with a 
view to suggestions by a committee of this association, before the contents are sanc¬ 
tioned by the 4 Medical Council.’ 
44 That it be suggested to the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society that they re¬ 
commend to the Medical Council that the new edition of the 4 British Pharmacopoeia ’ 
should not come into force until three months after its publication.” 
The lecture of the evening was delivered by the Vice-President, Mr. Mercer, F.C.S., 
44 On Disinfectants in Relation to their Chemical Effects in Destroying Nuisances,” etc. 
After the lecture, which was listened to with deep interest, the President and others 
offered a few remarks, and a hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Mercer for his 
able and instructive lecture. 
The fifth general meeting -was held on the evening of December 7, 1865 ; the Presi¬ 
dent in the chair. 
Mr. H. F. Jackson was elected an Associate Member. 
The following donations to the Library were announced, viz. the 4 Pharmaceutical 
Journal’ for December, and the ‘Proceedings of the Birkenhead Literary and Scientific So¬ 
ciety,’ and the thanks of the meeting tendered to the donors. 
The Secretary explained the nature of M 4 Dougall’s Patent Disinfector, referred to 
in the speech of the Vice-President, and enlarged upon the nature of its action in 
destroying bad smells, etc. 
