610 
THE BENEVOLENT FUND. 
and that one of those three was over at Iloniton Clyst on the Friday before the 
man’s death, and had a conference with the murderess, in which some dispute 
about money took place. 
Yours respectfully, 
William Herapath, Sen., 
Bristol, May 18 th, 1866. Professor of Chemistry. 
SOLUTION OF TERCHLORIDE OF GOLD. 
TO THE EDITOR OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. 
I have not noticed in the Journal any remark on the B.P. directions for 
making this solution. 
The formula is sadly out of joint, yet strangely enough it is given without 
comment in every work on the Pharmacopoeia which I have seen. 
The quantity of nitro“hydrochloric acid directed to be used -for dissolving the 
sixty grains of gold is about eight times as much as is necessary. Instead of 
fluid ounces , fluid drachms should be used. 
The quantity of water should not be nine , but five and a half fluid ounces,— 
only four fluid drachms of it being required for diluting the seven fluid drachms 
of acid. 
John T. Miller. 
Sheffield, May, 1866. 
THE BENEVOLENT FUND. 
TO THE EDITOR OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. 
Sir,—The present gratifying position of the Pharmaceutical Society, as 
appeared from the Report read at the late annual meeting, is calculated to afford 
the surest hope as regards its future increasing prosperity. 
Not the least encouraging circumstance is the condition of the Benevolent 
Fund, both as to its amount, and also the active and meritorious use to which 
it has been applied during the past year. At the same time, a little disappoint¬ 
ment may have been felt that some definite proposition had not been submitted 
in order to raise the amount of that fund to the sum originally intended. 
I think the £10,000 should not only be kept in view, but should be made a 
point of special effort now that the Society is enjoying peaceful prosperity, and 
for a time obliged to rest on its oars as regards the Pharmacy Bill. To do 
this, it would appear advisable to adopt any reasonable medium calculated to 
make the completion of this fund the one great object of our united energies. 
Various propositions have been privately suggested, one of which—a social 
gathering of the Members of the Society in London, with some eminent man 
to preside, and, if possible , similar gatherings held simultaneously by all the 
provincial associations—is worthy of weighty consideration, as tending not only 
to the augmentation of the Benevolent Fund, but also to promote a more friendly 
and fraternal feeling among the Members of the Pharmaceutical Society them¬ 
selves. 
But should this or'other means not be practicable, one "plan certainly appears 
to me to rise up, almost accidentally, and which would seem, in my judgment, 
to offer a golden opportunity in this respect. At the same time, I venture 
these remarks with much diffidence, as being in some degree opposed to the 
liberal proposal of our Vice-President, Mr. Hills, in regard to the portrait of the 
late lamented and highly-esteemed Mr. Jacob Bell; but, as I have but one 
object in view, I do not refrain, believing that Mr. Hills will be only too 
