968 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[May 31, 1873. 
and of tlie public thereby P There is plenty of need for 
this—but where are our advocates P Have we any in the 
great council of the nation ? We have been congratulated 
of late in the Journal because some pharmaceutical chemists 
have been, here and there, elected to the office of mayor, 
and one (who was a P. C.) has received the honour of 
knighthood. Why should not chemists go a step higher, 
or at least get a broader footing ? Is Jacob Bell to be the 
last of the pharmaceutical M.P.’s, as, I believe, he was the 
first ? _ It might be one of the avowed objects of a repre¬ 
sentative and examining pharmaceutical body to secure 
the election to Parliament of wealthy and aspiring phar¬ 
macists, who might thus do good service to their community 
when any question arose affecting its interests. At any 
rate, a change of this sort would prevent our drifting into 
a mere dilettante society, which, with our dinners, balls, 
conversaziones, and so forth, we run some chance of doing, 
or at least of being “content with things as they are.” 
After all, it is not so much for our own good as for that of 
those who will come after us that we are pharmaceutical 
chemists at all. 
I have thus attempted, in a few moments snatched from 
many other occupations, to sketch a rough outline of phar¬ 
maceutical progress. My ideas will doubtless be generally 
regarded as Utopian and impracticable; but those who 
may think they possess any value, are welcome to the use 
of them. An On-Looker. 
P.S.—By the report of the Council I see twelve persons 
received grants from the Benevolent Fund last year, besides 
the annuitants. Probably many more (judging from letters 
in the Journal) needed help, whose cases the present regu¬ 
lations of the Fund would not meet. The report, in other 
respects, shows “something attempted, something done:” 
however, I send my letter (which was written before I saw 
it), as there is always room for improvement, even in the 
“ best-regulated family.” 
Admission op Women as Members op the 
Pharmaceutical Society. 
Sir,—Mr. Sandford was wrong in his assertions on the 
21st inst., when he said, “ I had been on the register be¬ 
cause my father had been a chemist and druggist, and that 
I was manager or housekeeper in an asylum.” 
The ground upon which I based my application for 
membership, was the fact of my registration on the 21st 
December, 1868, and in compliance with clause 18 of sec. 
10 of the Society’s bye-laws. 
I never have been manager or housekeeper in any 
establishment; for nine years and a half I have held the 
appointment of secretary and dispenser in a private asylum, 
which appointment has nothing whatever to do with my 
claim upon the Society; I consider that my having been in 
business (on my own account) upwards of nine years, before 
the passing of the Act of 1868, proves the legality of what 
I maintain. Elizabeth Leech. 
Effra Hall, Brixton, 28 th May, 1873. 
The Shop Hours’ Peculation Bill. 
Sir, Having read the remarkably well-pointed letter of 
your correspondent “Audi Alteram Partem,” I think he 
has expressed the opinions of a very large number of your 
readers in a most comprehensive manner. 
The ‘ Shop Hours’ Regulation Bill,” if passed, will 
confer an immense boon on pharmacists in general. I am 
sure that no druggist will object to it, as it mil give a good 
ground for even those most obsequious to the wants of” the 
public, to close their establishments at a proper hour. It 
is only reasonable that those who have examinations to 
pass should have time to prepare for passing them; but this 
consideration seems to be overlooked at present. 
I was very much surprised to read in page 924 of last 
week’s number of the Journal, that a meeting of the Phar¬ 
maceutical Society had been held in London, and after 
passing more stringent bye-laws in regard to the examina¬ 
tions, the Yice-President.said, in regard to the above Bill 
that it was hardly possible for such a Bill to pass the 
House of Commons, but that the Parliamentary Committee 
would give it their attention. If by this an opposition to 
the Bill is meant, it is surely not in concurrence with the 
opinions of the profession at large, gggj^gj 
Excelsior. 
Colouration op Glass by the Solar Ray. 
During the memorable cyclone that visited our 
southern coasts during twelve or fourteen hours on the 
^ ’I,. 1 December, 1869, the Longship lighthouse, Land’s End, 
suffered considerable damage. 
By the courtesy of a gentleman residing in that part of 
the country, I am favoured with a specimen of plate-glass 
(enclosed) which, although half an inch thick, was entirely 
cashed by the force of the waves in that terrible storm. 
llie remarkable change in the colour of the glass from 
pure white to an amethystine hue must be ascribed to the 
action oi the actinic solar rays upon the binoxide of man¬ 
ganese employed in the manufacture of the glass to increase 
its biilliancy. The proportion of oxide used may have been 
larger than usual. 
Wherever the glass was protected from the sun’s influ- 
ence—as at the. edges, where covered with putty—it retains 
its original purity of appearance. 
A change has probably been wrought in the molecules of 
tlie glass, by reason of which it reflects purple only, instead 
o all colours, as it would naturally do,—the colorific rays 
may nave also had a share in producing the change. 
It is observable that the windows of the Hand-in-Hand In- 
suiance Company, Blackfriars, have been similarly affected. 
. ’ isffiors to Richmond often notice the purple glass in the 
windows of a house situated at the Park entrance; it is 
said by some to have been chosen by the original possessor 
ri i e ^ mansion, who died long ago, but it' is more 
likely that the exposed position of the windows to a full 
blaze of light and heat may have conduced to the result. 
„ R. Goodwin Mumbray. 
Richmond, S.W., May 18th, 1873. 
„ Tlie Minor Examination Bye-Law .—We have received 
from Mr. Hampson a copy of a letter addressed by him to 
Mr. Carteighe, with a request that it should be published, 
but since the letter deals chiefly with personal matters, we do 
not think this desirable. Moreover, it contains incidentally 
reiterations of the opinion that the Minor Examination 
ye-law is illegal, and of the charge that a proper report 
has not been given in this Journal of the proceedings of the 
Council. Loth have, we believe, been so fully disposed of as 
not to require further discussion. 
H. G. A.—Only the “ tincture and all vesicating liquid pre- 
ns 0 can tharides” are included in the poison schedule. 
taraxacum. —You were elected an “Associate” at 
the I ebiuary meeting of the Council, and your name ap¬ 
pears in the Transactions of the Pharmaceutical Society,” 
prmted m the Pharmaceutical Journal, p. 629. No 
certificates of associateship are issued by the Society. 
J. Houlton. We are obliged for the expression of vour 
opinion and will bear it in mind. 
“Analyst.” In all probability the use of such a prepara¬ 
tion as you refer to would be considered within the pro¬ 
visions of the Act. 
E. H. btorey. Your letter has been handed to the Secre¬ 
tary. 
^ e are obliged to you for the information in 
your letter. 
rece ipf °f yourletterwas acknowledged on 
P- jX.y^ w 7 e liave not hitherto been able to insert it. 
J. 11. Ernrlie.— Your letter with inclosure has been re¬ 
ceived and^shall have early attention. 
Hypo. —Tour question is rather legal than pharma- 
ceutical and you would find a lawyer best able to answer it. 
. A btiident. —The word “zoological” refers to the 
annuals yielding substances used in medicine. 
J. J. Matthias .—Your price was moderate enough. We 
cannot understand how less could be charged 
« Ermto:—On page 862, col. ii., line 50, for “aceti” read 
aceta ; line oo,/or ‘vini” read “Una ;” page925, col. i., 
ri 6 ri fr ,°U, ljottom > f or “ Mr. James Garle ” read “ Mr. 
John Garle. 
We are requested to state that the rejected candidate for 
Council was not Mr. W. Y. Wright of the firm of Wright, 
Sellers, and Layman, but Mr. G. H. Wright, 
-Letters, etc., have been received from 
Messrs H Arundell, J. Askew, J. Hallawell, J. Abraham, 
W. Oxford, J. Leay, H. W. Breton, E. W. Jackson, Dr. 
t °A 10 r( ( S os ^ on > U - S -)’ G - Druce, E. S. Balchin, G. W., 
J. A.j U. Jdj. Ur. 
