8 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS 
[July 6, 1872. 
A VICTIM TO SCIENCE. 
We take from our contemporary, tlic British 
Medical Journal tlie following short account of a 
very deplorable accident by which science has sus-1 
tained the loss of a young but aclive and promising 
worker 
“ Many sad reflections of much more than personal 
import attach themselves to the sad announcement of 
the death of that distinguished young chemist, Mr. E. 
T. Chapman, whose name is well known as one of the ; 
authors of the ammonia-process of water-analysis. He 
was killed by an explosion in his laboratory at Riibe- 
jand, in the Hartz, on the 25th Juno. Pour years ago, 
Mr. Chapman was the most industrious contributor to 
the Chemical Society. He will bo especially remem-1 
bered by chemists for his very beautiful researches on 
“ Limited Oxidation,” and for his remarkable faculty of | 
performing unpromising chemical operations with quan¬ 
titative accuracy. Last autumn, ho left England to 
take charge of a large wood distillery in the Hartz, and 
a short time ago had commenced the manufacture of 
nitrate of methyl on a gigantic scale. Under certain 
conditions, nitrate of methyl is terribly explosive ; and 
it is supposed (for no one survives to tell what took 
place) that the terrible explosion which shivered a bomb¬ 
proof building, killing Mr. Chapman and two workmen 
who were with him, was an explosion of nitrate of me¬ 
thyl- Mr. Chapman was only 26 years old at the time 
of his death. A few years ago, it would have been 
deemed a strange thing for England to send out a che¬ 
mist to take charge of a G-erman factory; but that the 
most promising of the young chemists of England should 
have tound no room for himself here, and should have 
taken service in a foreign land and perished there, is 
melancholy in the extreme.” 
> ^ r - Chapman is not the only young chemist of 
high piomise who has been compelled to seek mere 
livelihood hi uncongenial pursuits, and waste a life 
which might have been devoted under a more pro¬ 
pitious fortune to the advancement of science and of 
civilization. 
. A f ew wee ks ago we drew attention to the cond 
tion in which scientific chemistry finds itself here i 
England, destitute as it is of encouragement an 
support from Government, and, what is worse, witl 
out pioneers among the men who occupy professions 
chairs, though in many instances they might 1 
expected to derive some stimulus from the historic; 
associations by which they are surrounded. 
Mr. Chapman was among those—and there are n< 
a few such—to whom we referred, who want on] 
means and opportunity to perform their part i 
restoring to English chemists the reputation wliic 
t leir predecessors so justly enjoyed. It wouh 
perhaps,^lie an exaggeration to say in his case tin 
“ Chill poverty repressed his noble rage ” 
but it would not be difficult to find instances i 
wlucli tins would represent the actual and unpoetici 
truth. Surely there should be opportunities of ei 
ending to such men encouragment and sympathy 
and we do trust that in the future some efforts wi 
be made in that direction. 
According to a return recently ordered by the- 
House of Commons to be printed, the quantity of 
methylated spirit sent out by persons licensed to sell 
the same under the Act 18 and 19 Yict. c. 38, during 
the year ending 31st December, 1871, was in Eng¬ 
land, 451,530 gallons; Scotland, 232,174 gallons;. 
Ireland, 12,331 gallons; total in the United King¬ 
dom, 096,035 gallons. The amount of drawback or 
allowance paid thereon was L‘200,174. ILs*. 
A commission has been formed in Victoria, Aus¬ 
tralia, “ to consider and report,” in the words of the 
proclamation, “ how far it may be practicable to in¬ 
troduce branches of industry which are known to be 
common and profitable among the farming popula¬ 
tion of continental Europe ; to specify which of such 
industries are most suitable to the soil, climate and 
circumstances, and to report on the best means of 
promoting their introduction into Victoria, and how 
far the labour of persons at the disposal of the State 
may be advantageously used for that purpose; and 
to further consider and report on the best means of 
promoting the culture, extension and preservation of 
State forests in Victoria, and the introduction of such 
foreign trees as may be suitable to the climate and 
useful for industrial purposes.” From the Progress- 
Report of this commission we find that a large 
number of medicinal plants are proposed for cultiva¬ 
tion, the following amongst others being recommended 
as quite suitable for, and hardy in the climate of 
Victoria : — Cinchona, Rhubarb, Aloes, Camphor, 
Squill, Aconite, Hemlock, Henbane, Foxglove, Bel¬ 
ladonna, Buclm, Poppy, Gentian, Chirata, Ery- 
thrcea, Jalap, Juniper, Liquorice, Uva Ur si, Vera- 
trum, Arnica, Podophyllum, Taraxacum, Senna, 
Pepperment, Sarsaparilla, etc. 
The commission further deems it “ desirable that 
the Government should obtain and distribute genuine 
seeds of such medicinal and otherwise useful plants, 
and recommends the distribution of the seeds by 
means of advertisement. A large quantity of poppy 
seed was thus distributed gratuitously bv a com¬ 
mercial firm in Melbourne, and over lOOcf applica¬ 
tions were received. A very considerable proportion 
I of tlie sowings of these seeds have been attended 
with success in the production of opium, and we are 
told that it is a tact pretty certain that the poppy, in 
a short time, will be one of the most extensively cul- 
th ated crops in ictoria if the question of juvenile 
labour can be satisfactorily settled. 
# Eotanic Garden has effected also the extensive- 
distiibution of useful plants and seeds, at least such 
as are not easily obtainable in the horticultural trade. 
The gieat extension of this practice cannot but tend 
to cieate and promote new cultures, and to enlarge; 
thc resources and wealth of the country. 
