912 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[May 17, If73. 
present at our examination, and the benefit derived from 
some hints which fell from Mr. Haselden as to the conduct 
of the examinations in London, much good will accrue; 
and it will always be a matter of pleasure to the Council 
here, to receive in future a repetition of such a visit from 
their friends in the south. 
In regard to the election of Council in Edinburgh for 
this and succeeding years, it is proposed to make the 
number sixteen, or fourteen members along with Presi¬ 
dent and Vice-President. Of this number ten will be 
balloted out each year, leaving six of the old members. 
The ten drawn shall, however, be eligible for re-election, 
while it will also be competent for any member of the 
Society at the Annual Meeting to propose, and if need be 
put to the vote, any new name he may wish to serve on 
the Council for the ensuing year. This mode of procedure 
will be more in accordance with the plan adopted in Lon¬ 
don, without the machinery and expense of voting papers. 
To give, however, a more general interest to the proceed¬ 
ings at the Annual Meeting, it has been proposed that in 
future, billets will be circulated in Scotland a fortnight 
before the date of meeting in Edinburgh, giving the result 
of the ballot; and in event of any member wishing to 
propose a member of Council he may do so, by writing to 
the Secretary, who will intimate the same to meeting. 
Vote will then be taken as to the new members. Intima¬ 
tion of the meeting will also be made on the cover of the 
Pharmaceutical Journal. 
The Council are thankful that the Society now recog¬ 
nize the position which the Branch here Ought to occupy, 
and are glad to find that as our wants become apparent and 
known, the London Council are ready to grant supplies as 
well as to meet our various requirements. The true feel¬ 
ing which has ever existed here, and has prompted from 
time to time an advocacy of our rights, has arisen from a 
desire that our affairs should be so conducted that the 
North British Branch of the parent Society in London, 
and established in Edinburgh, should occupy a position in 
the estimation of the medical and general public in all 
respects worthy of such a powerful organization as that of 
the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. 
The report was unanimously adopted. 
Vote of Thanks to Lecturers. 
Mr. H. C. Baildon moved a vote of thanks to those 
gentlemen who had been kind enough to deliver lectures 
during the past session. 
The vote was cordially passed. 
Election of President and Vice-President. 
Mr. H. C. Baildon said he had great pleasure in moving 
that Mr. Young fill the presidential chair and Mr. G-ilmour 
continue to occupy the vice-president’s chair during the 
ensuing year. He hoped that Mr. G-ilmour’s extreme 
diffidence would not prevent him on a future occasion, 
though it had on this, from occupying'the presidential 
chair. 
Mr. Napier seconded the motion, which was then passed 
unanimously. 
The Election of Council for 1873-74. 
Mr. Mackay then reported that at a meeting of a com¬ 
mittee of the Council and examiners held on Saturday, 
the following names were drawn by ballot as those of 
gentlemen who should retire this year, but be eligible for 
re-election:—Messrs. Eairgrieve, Noble, Napier, Heron, 
Davison (Glasgow), H. C. Baildon, J. Aitken, and 
Eairlie (Glasgow). 
The following having been nominated were declared 
elected, other five who had been also placed in nomination 
having retired:—Messrs. Kemp (Portobello), Buchanan, 
W. Tait (of Duncan, Elockhart, and Co.), Eairlie (Glas¬ 
gow), Davison (Glasgow), J. Aitken, Heron, and Baildon. 
These, with the President and Vice-President, will fill the 
ten vacancies on the Council. 
Mr. Baildon then moved that their Honorary Secretary, 
should be re-elected. He knew of no one who could per¬ 
form the duties of this office in the same efficient manner 
as Mr. Mackay did, and he hoped that he had many years 
of health before him, for this, amongst other reasons, that 
he was sure so long as he had health they would have ai 
efficient Secretary. 
Mr. Young, the newly elected President, then moved a 
cordial vote of thanks to Mr. Baildon for his services 
during the past year. It had been a year of considerable 
work, and Mr. Baildon had bestowed a great amount of 
labour upon their concerns. He had given his services 
most cordially, and he was sure they were all conscious of 
how much he had adorned the chair. 
The vote was cordially passed. 
Mr. Baildon having acknowledged the compliment, ex¬ 
pressed his satisfaction that he was succeeded by so able 
a gentleman as the newly elected President. 
This closed the meeting. 
fwlmttiiil frasaxtiorts. 
LIVERPOOL CHEMISTS’ ASSOCIATION. 
The Eleventh General Meeting was held at the Royal 
Institution on Thursday evening, April 24th, the Presi¬ 
dent, Mr. E. Davies, E.C.S., in the chair. 
The following donations to the Library were an¬ 
nounced : — Current numbers of the ‘Pharmaceutical 
Journal;’ the ‘Register of Pharmaceutical Chemists and 
Chemists and Druggists ;’ and the ‘ New York Druggists’ 
Circular.’ To the Museum—A specimen of “ Guaranine,” 
manufactured and presented by Messrs. Hopkins and 
Williams, of London. 
The first paper read was on the 
Action of Spirit of Nitric Ether upon Iodide of 
Potassium. 
BY J. ABRAHAM. 
Mr. Abraham said that, in consequence of an inquiry, 
he had made careful experiments on this subject, and 
found that the spirit of nitric ether made according to the 
Phamacopoeia was, when perfectly fresh, feelly acid. If, 
in that state, it was added to a solution of iodide of potas¬ 
sium, decomposition was instantly apparent, the solution 
becoming reddened. If the iodide of potassium contained 
ten per cent, of carbonate of potash (perhaps less) this 
change of colour did not occur; and after the mixture 
had been kept some days, there was at most a slight 
yellow colour. He believed that carbonate of potash was 
often found in commercial iodide of potassium, and when 
such an article was used, the discolouration to which he 
referred might not occur. Even if spirit of nitre were 
made by another process, and were perfectly free from 
acid at first, it would soon become changed, and the effect 
on iodide of potassium would be what he had described. 
In connection with this subject,' Mr. Alfred E. Tanner 
said that the prevailing practice appeared to be, to add a 
certain quantity of alkali to the spirit of nitre previously 
to mixing it with the iodide, under the impression that 
the spirit of nitre should be neutral, but this was really 
not sufficient, for unless there was an excess of alkali pre¬ 
sent the iodide would still be decomposed, and where this 
discolouration was not present, it was owing to the alkali 
being added in sufficient excess to take up the iodide libe¬ 
rated. All nitrites decompose iodide of potassium, and 
the practice of ordering these two articles in combination 
is to be deprecated, inasmuch as they are quite incom¬ 
patible. 
A paper was afterwards read on 
The Decomposition of Animal and Vegetable 
Substances. 
BY GEO. F. CHANTRELL, 
lion. Sec. of the Microscopical Society of Liverpool. 
The following is an abstract of the paper :— 
To the sanitarian this subject is one of most vital 
