526 
THE METRIC SYSTEM. 
TRADE IMPOSITION. 
TO THE EDITOR OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. 
Sir,—On calling upon a friend in the trade this morning, I found him in a 
state of great excitement, through his discovery of being the victim of a gross 
imposition. His chagrin was the more as he considers himself rather a sharp 
man, and is generally too wary to be caught in such meshes. 
The case is this. A very respectable commercial traveller called upon him, 
and in the course of other business transactions, stated he had obtained the 
agency for a spirit house in Yorkshire, and that he was in a position to offer 
spirit of winlfcff great purity at 10s. 6d. per gallon, and that it was sufficiently 
sweet and good to make lavender water, and indeed good enough for all pur¬ 
poses of the trade, making tinctures, etc. My friend, having great confidence 
in the traveller, and the price] being so tempting, ordered a twelve-gallon tin 
of it, and finds it to be nothing more than cleaned methylated spirit of wine, 
which answers the test for sp. setheris nitrosi—it evidently has been cleaned 
through the agency of nitric acid. 
Hoping this letter will prevent others in the trade from being sold through 
their buying this article, which is certainly not worth more than 4s. to 5s. per 
gallon, 
I am, Sir, yours respectfully, 
Birmingham , March 24, 1866. T. Barclay. 
THE METRIC SYSTEM. 
A conference, called by the Metric Committee of the British Association for the Ad¬ 
vancement of Science, and the Council of the International Decimal Association, was 
held last evening in the Geological Museum, Jermyn Street, to discuss “the introduction 
of the metric system of measures and weights into the course of scholastic instruction 
in this country.” Sir John Bowring, who presided, said there had been many discus¬ 
sions with reference to the decimal and metric questions, and as regarded our accountancy 
and currency the decimal system was recognised by the introduction of the florin. The 
necessity of applying in all countries the same system of weights and measures was 
every year acquiring new importance, and there was a growing impression amongst 
intelligent people that if a system were universally recognised and applied, it would not 
only be of great advantage to education, but it would strengthen those bonds of brother¬ 
hood which the emancipated commerce of the world was forming. A letter, apologising 
for inability to be present, was read from Professor Huxley, who wrote:—“It has long 
appeared to me to be a matter of great importance that English zoologists and anatomists 
should adopt the same system of measures as that used by their foreign brethren.” Mr. 
James Yates, M.A., then explained the use of an apparatus he had invented, to teach 
the metric system in schools. It consisted of six instruments, and the lecturer main¬ 
tained that any intelligent boy or girl could understand the principles involved in a 
quarter of an hour. The Chairman, to illustrate the beauty and simplicity of the deci¬ 
mal system, said he had seen it recognised among savage nations, and had never knovm 
a Chinese or Japanese boy make a mistake in accounts, because he used an abacus which 
God had given to every one, namely the fingers. Mr. W. Ewart, M.P., said the English 
were slow in this, as in other matters, because they hated a theory. The decimal system 
had made way in many other portions of the world, while it was comparatively unknown 
in this country. The present House of Commons were favourable to the system. The 
Ministry were introducing a Weights and Measures Bill, and he had given notice of an 
amendment, with the view of getting a compulsory adoption of the metric system for a 
given number of years. The Liverpool Chamber of Commerce were petitioning the Legis¬ 
lature in favour of a decimal system ; and the American people were willing to join us in 
adopting it. Mr. D’Eyncourt, fronf his personal observation in France, said he felt con- 
