38 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[ J uly 13,1875. 
true that for a great part of the yearthe majority of "bed-' 
rooms are entirely without adequate ventilation, and many 
are carefully made as nearly air tight as possible. An 
oppressive and powerfully odorous atmosphere is sub¬ 
mitted to from a dread of injury from night air, which 
is, rightly or wrongly, supposed to he eminently deadly. 
It would be a very great service to mankind if medical 
men would investigate and speak fully and freely on 
this point. Dr. Smith appears to think that the air of 
the night is rather better than that of the day ; and it 
seems impossible that it can be so harmful as that in a 
room without ventilation. 
It seems hard to give any adverse criticism on a book 
so lull of valuable information as this, but there are two 
points which call for notice. On page 274 it is said that 
sulphuric acid or sulphate “ increases inland, even with¬ 
out smoke, on account of the decomposition of vegetable 
and animal matter. This is best seen in the table of 
proportions.” But in the table on page 273 (which 
appears to be the one referred to) the inland Scottish 
places contain the smallest quantity given in the whole 
table; and inland English places contain much less than 
English coimtry places, or the average of Scottish coun¬ 
try places. The statement may be true, but it does not 
follow from the results here given. 
Then on page 509 the statement that a porous soil re¬ 
moves offensive material “by an agency within itself,” 
is likely to convey a false idea. The action in question 
depends upon a sufficient supply of oxygen being 
afforded ; and if this is not done, the soil has little or no 
power within itself to remove organic matter. The 
overloading referred to on the preceding page is in most, 
if not in all, cases due to the excess of organic matter 
over the oxygen, and if the latter be abundantly sup¬ 
plied, the amount of organic matter which can be de¬ 
stroyed is almost unlimited. In the paragraph on the 
application of sewage to soil, the same important item is 
again omitted, although porosity of soil would be of 
little use if the aeration were insufficient; and sewage 
itself never contains enough dissolved oxygen to bum 
the whole of the organic matter. 
These, however, are but slight faults in view of the 
weighty merits of the book, which cannot fail to have a 
most important and valuable influence on sanitary 
science. We rarely meet with books so amply filled 
with experimental results, and so notably free from 
dogma. 
REUBEN CRAVEN PAYNE. 
We regret to have to record the death of another of 
those gentlemen against whose names in the calendar 
the date “1841” shows that they were “founders” of 
the Pharmaceutical Society. Mr. Reuben Craven Payne, 
Pharmaceutical Chemist, of Bridgewater, died on Thurs¬ 
day, June 28th. 
Mr. Payne was bom in 1808 at Tottenham. Himself 
a prominent member of the Society of Friends, he was 
the son of Mr. Peter Payne, a “ convinced Friend;” his 
mother being of the well-known Quaker family of 
Pryor. He was educated at the school of Joel Lean, 
situated at Frenchay, near Bristol, which had a de¬ 
servedly high reputation as the first Quaker school of the 
time. After leaving school he studied for some years the 
business of chemist and druggist at the establishment of 
Messrs. Allen, Hanburys and Barry, of Plough Court. 
While in London he formed an intimate friendship with 
Dr. Martin. Barry, F.R.S. (after whom one of his sons 
was named); and with Alexander Barry, F.R.S., who died 
from an explosion that occurred whilst conducting some 
scientific investigations at Furnival’s Inn, as well as with 
John Thomas Barry, who was a partner in the above- 
named firm. He continually frequented the debates in 
both Houses of Parliament, especially those having 
reference to the improvement of the criminal code. In 
after years he often told, in his family circle, interest¬ 
ing anecdotes of episodes in the House and its lobbies 
in connection with the passing of these great measures. 
Shortly before 1836, Mr. Payne purchased a business 
that had been established at Bridgewater. In 1837, he 
married, and afterwards lived in the comparative seclu¬ 
sion that is usual among members of the Society of 
Friends, especially those of the old school. Amongst 
his few intimate friends at Bridgewater were two or three 
neighbouring clergymen and Mr. Andrew Cross, the 
electrician. 
Mr. Payne was very fond of art, and himself painted 
in oil, both landscape and figures, with considerable 
power. Passionately fond of nature, there was not a rare 
bird or flower, or beautiful view in the county that he 
did not know perfectly. To wait for the kingfisher 
along some stream that it haunted; or, in the evening, 
to wait under a tree frequented by the nightingale ; or, 
indeed, to watch the habits of any beast, bird or insect 
was his delight. 
Mr. Payne leaves two sons,—Mr. John Home Payne, 
M.A., barrister, and Dr. Martin Henry Payne, who is 
now in New Zealand,—and a daughter, recently married 
to Mr. Lewis Thompson. Anxious to give his children 
the best possible education, he had them educated at 
home, until the age of fifteen, by resident tutors. To 
complete their education, his sons were afterwards sent 
to travel on the continent for some time. In 1852, Mr. 
J. Horne Payne was sent to University College; he 
took his B.A. degree with double honours at the London 
University, in 1857, and in 1860 the degree of M.A. in 
Branch II. mathematics. 
Mr. Payne’s kindness to the poor was such that none 
but his immediate relations mourn him more, and his 
funeral was accompanied to the grave, not only by a large 
number of the well-to-do inhabitants of the town, but 
by numbers of the poor who showed by their tears their 
regret at his loss. During the cholera season which, 
visited the town some years ago, none was more unre¬ 
mitting in aiding by personal attendance on the sick poor 
from very early morning till late at night; but, generally- 
speaking, his aid was quietly and unobtrusively given, 
though he never refused to render it. 
For two months previous to his decease Mr. Payne- 
was confined to his bed, and his death, from gradual 
paralysis, was preceded by insensibility for several hours. 
We regret to have also to record the death of Mr. 
Pickering (of the firm of Butler, Pickering and 
Beckett), of Leicester, who was found dead in bed on 
Sunday morning, July 7. On Saturday evening, before- 
retiring to rest, he vomited blood and complained of' 
being unwell, saying at the same time he would go 
to bed. His son, who was sleeping with him, on 
awaking about half-past one, found him quite dead. 
Mr. Pickering has been a member of the Pharmaceu¬ 
tical Society since 1842. 
ilotes sni Queries. 
*** In order to facilitate reference , correspondents ara 
requested to mark their answers in each case with the title 
and number of the query referred to. 
No notice can be taken of anonymous communications.. 
All queries or answers should be accompanied by the name 
and address of the writer. 
[320].—SILVER COATING FOR STEEL.—Cam 
any reader oblige me with a formula for silver coating; 
for steel, etc. ?—D. G. 
