400 ABERDEEN ASSOCIATION OF ASSISTANT CHEMISTS AND DRUGGISTS. 
appear ungrateful to find fault with a system which afforded the facilities of our mea¬ 
sure-system for the purposes of dispensing. He suggested that it might be possible to 
engraft a measure-system similar to ours on the French system. One of the chief argu¬ 
ments in favour of the metrical system, was its adaptability to various purposes and to 
all kinds of calculation. The fundamental bases of the French and English systems 
were referred to and compared, and allusion made to the circumstance that the unit 
of measure in the French system, the metre, as first determined by the measurement of 
the arc of the meridian, had subsequently been found to be incorrect. This, however, 
was a comparatively unimportant point. The system was firmly established, and its 
adoption in this country could only be a question of time. 
After some remarks on the proposed system, a vote of thanks was moved by Mr. 
Ainslie to Mr. G-ilmour for his paper, and the manner in which the subject had been 
illustrated by table and diagram. 
Mr. John Mackay then made some remarks on the proposed regulations for keeping 
and dispensing poisons, and the additions to be made to the list of articles at present in 
schedule A. of the, Pharmacy Act. Mr. Mackay first referred to the regulations as to 
keeping and dispensing, with the arrangement of which the Society had to deal. He 
read the recommendation of the Council on this point, stating that the matter would be 
brought before the Annual Meeting of the Society for the purpose of being finally con¬ 
sidered and decided. He then stated the proposed additions to part i. and ii. of schedule 
A. attached to Pharmacy Act of 1868. 
At the close of Mr. Mackay’s remarks, a long discussion ensued, in which several mem¬ 
bers took part. A considerable number spoke strongly against the adoption of any of the 
three proposals for keeping and storing poisons, and also against the use of any dis¬ 
tinctive bottle for liniments, lotions, or embrocations. In replying to the various ob¬ 
jections made by the different speakers, Mr. Mackay suggested that in order to meet the 
views of those who were antagonistic to these regulations, and as there was abundance 
of time, a meeting had better be called of the members of the Society in Edinburgh, 
who might, if they thought proper, embody their views in a memorial, which could be 
forwarded to the Council to form part of the proceedings at the General Meeting of the 
Society in London. 
The Secretary submitted specimens of the patent compressed eggs, which had now 
been so successfully produced in America, as well as dried albumen and yolk. These 
had all been prepared two years and a half ago, and were still quite suitable for the 
baker, and most domestic purposes. 
The attention of the meeting was then directed to the following twelve interesting 
specimens, which had been presented to the Society’s museum here by Professor Archer : 
—Long-leaved Buchu (Barosma serratulata), Calabar Bean (Physostigma venenosum ); 9 
Minerals from salt mine of Strassfurt, near Magdeburg:—Massive Boracite, Sylvite, Po¬ 
lyhalite in Kock Salt, Kamite, Kieserite, Carmallite, Tachhydrite, Rock Salt, Rock Salt 
with gypsum, Cape Aloes. On the motion of Mr. Mackay, a hearty and unanimous 
vote of thanks was awarded to Professor Archer for his handsome contribution. 
PROVINCIAL TRANSACTIONS. 
ABERDEEN ASSOCIATION OF ASSISTANT CHEMISTS AND DRUGGISTS. 
The half-yearly General Meeting of the above Association was held in the St. Nicholas 
Lane Hall, on the 11th of November ; Mr. J. Bertie, Vice-President in the chair. Mr. 
William Donald, Secretary, read a report of the transactions of the Association during 
the preceding six months, showing that during that time a number of interesting sub¬ 
jects had been brought before the Association in papers read by members, including a 
discussion on the repealed clause in the Pharmacy Act, relating to the prohibition of 
medical men from keeping open shop, also a discussion on the merits of Homoeopathy, 
along with various other subjects. 
The following office-bearers were then elected for the ensuing six months’ session :— 
President: Mr. James Thom. Vice-President: Mr. J. Bertie. Secretary and Treasurer: 
Mr. W. Donald. Committee : Messrs. Gordon, Auchinachie, Webster, Cassie, Ross, and 
Munro. 
