1042 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[June 28, 1S73. 
the other—indeed rather more distinctly. _ Filled, by 
suction through an elastic tube, the result is obtained 
more easily and quickly. 
In using a large tube, one is apt to get impatient and to 
add the test too rapidly—at least I am—and then one has 
to begin again. These smaller tubes holding 100—300— 
500 grains, in which every grain is shown, are far more 
convenient because you can without any great exercise of 
patience watch the effect of every drop which you let fall. 
But those who have not these tubes have the minim tube 
with elastic ball, which I introduced as an improvement 
on Alsop’s more than twenty years ago. (Pharmaceuti¬ 
cal Journal, 1851-2, page 268.) 
An experiment with this would be far better than none, 
and carefully made would give almost accurate results. 
Add 27 min im a* to a little solution of soda or of potash 
(for the latter will do equally well), and the number 
of minims of volumetric solution of nitrate of silver, which 
must be added before a permanent precipitate begins to 
fo rm, indicates at once without calculation the percentage 
of strength compared with that of the Pharmacopoeia. As 
a check this is perhaps sufficient, but the volatility of the 
substance should be remembered, and accurate experi¬ 
ments must be performed in flasks. 
Mr. A. E. Tanner afterwards read a paper on “ TheMeans 
of Detecting Bromide in Iodide of Potassium,” which is 
printed at p. 1033). 
A discussion followed, in which the President, Drs. Cooke, 
Symes, Messrs. Mason, Bedford, Shaw, and others took part. 
The President then read the following valedictory 
address :— 
“ In coming before you this evening to bid you fare¬ 
well, as your president, at least so far as our general 
meetings are concerned, I feel a difficulty in selecting a 
subject which will fitly close my official connection with 
the Association. No event of engrossing interest'has 
marked the present year of my presidency, and I must 
fall back on the familiar topics of our aims in meeting 
together, and the manner in which these have been car¬ 
ried out. Whatever views we may hold with regard to 
cooperation in business matters, its application to in¬ 
creasing the store of our knowledge must commend itself 
to every mind. As iron sharpeneth iron, so doth the 
countenance of a man his friend, is our implied motto, 
and the more each one will contribute his talent or mite 
of experience to the common fund the greater will be the 
treasury which we shall accumulate. In the past session 
we have listened to practical and theoretical papers, both 
the business and science side of our daily avocations have 
been drawn upon for subjects of discussion and thought, 
and now a long recess will give us opportunities for the 
application of the facts which have come under our notice. 
I trust that at least some of us will remember that the 
future must be provided for, that another session will soon 
be here, and that the Secretary will be much aided and 
his anxious mind greatly relieved if he can begin with a 
goodly list of papers promised. There can be no doubt 
that as years roll on the difficulty of finding new subjects 
increases. The obvious topics have been disposed of, and 
we must employ more thought and research in treating 
those which do not directly fall in our w r ay. It is so in 
all branches of science ; in chemical research much labour 
is now needed to arrive at novelty, as any one will be 
convinced who studies the chemical journals and is almost 
overwhelmed with the complexity and intricacy of the 
new compounds, of which the mere names are sufficient to 
terrify the student. Still, we must go on,—it will never do 
to despair. It is quite certain that we have not found out 
everything yet, and new things will always be found to be 
said on old topics. 
“ In some respects we have progressed ; the library has 
been enriched by bound volumes of the journals, and I 
hope that in this more accessible form we shall make 
acquaintance with the current scientific literature of the 
# Strictly, a shade more—27‘09. 
day. It will be well to keep this up regularly year by 
year, as experience has shown that many numbers of 
unbound periodicals are lost. Some other additions have 
been made to the library, and it is now a most valuable 
collection of scientific literature. 
“With regard to our educational appliances, the 
chemistry class has been carried on since December, and 
is still going on. The time has arrived for establishing a 
botany class, and I hope that the notice on the circular 
will not escape the notice of members. A considerable 
number must join to render it possible for us to ensure 
the services of a competent teacher, and I trust that such 
a delightful study, when properly undertaken, will not 
fail to attract many pupils. I would urge all students not 
to trust to books; we are not favourably situated for 
practical study in the fields, but yet the commonest 
plants should be thoroughly examined, and this practical 
knowledge will not only be far more valuable than merely 
learning crabbed terms by rote, but will also stick closer to 
the memory, and be available when wanted. 
“ My suggestion as to the adulteration of drugs when 
I last addressed you has been proved a word in season. 
Whether a substitution of one thing for another is a legal 
adulteration, is a question as to which I am not lawyer 
enough to speak, but morally, in my opinion it is even 
worse. Sulphate of quinidine may be a useful alkaloid, 
and probably is, but to sell it for sulphate of quinine is 
totally indefensible, and has met a justly deserved 
punishment. I hope that it will not be possible to meet 
with any other case of the kind in Liverpool, and that if 
any chemist has any such deceptive stuff in his shop it will 
at once find its way to the sewers. 
“ During the session science has had to deplore the loss 
of one of her most devoted sons, Baron Justus von Liebig. 
Nothing was beneath his notice to which science could 
give any aid, and the almost inventor of organic analysis 
could write an article on the best way of making coffee. 
Purely scientific chemistry is most deeply indebted to him, 
and although all his views on agricultural and physio¬ 
logical chemistry may not be received by every chemist, 
those branches of the great subject to which his life was 
devoted would be greatly mutilated if all which he con¬ 
tributed to them were removed. To the public at large 
his name was familiarized by his preparation for infants’ 
food, and mostly by extractum carnis. Whatever view 
may be taken eventually as to the exact action of this 
latter substance, in my opinion there is no doubt that it 
is a great addition to our restoratives, and will hand 
Liebig’s name down to posterity. 
“ One of our own members, and one who contributed to 
our transactions has also passed away. The circumstances 
attending Mr.' Hilditch’s death are painful and mysterious. 
We might fairly have hoped, from the promise which he 
already gave, that he would have been a valuable member, 
and can only add our tribute of respect and esteem to 
those which have been so freely given in the land where 
he was a temporary resident. 
“And now I must bid you adieu ; thanking you for the 
confidence which you have reposed in me, and that for two 
years I have had no unpleasant word to hear or say. What¬ 
ever may have been my failings, I trust that it will be found 
that the interests or honour of the Association have not 
suffered in my hands.” 
Votes of thanks to the authors of the papers, and the 
President for his address, and the ability with which he 
had occupied the chair at the meetings, etc., concluded the 
business of the ordinary meetings of the session. 
of jtottfiftt 
CHEMICAL SOCIETY. 
Thursday, June 19th, Dr. Odling, F.B.S., President, in 
the chair. 
At this meeting which was the last of the season, nine 
communications were read of which the following were the 
