October l, 1870.] THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
2G0 
CHEMISTS’ DINNER, CARDIFF. 
On Thursday, Septemher 22nd, for the first time in 
the history of Glamorganshire, the chemists and drug¬ 
gists of the county sat down to dine together and inau¬ 
gurate a personal intimacy and trade association amongst 
themselves. It was felt that the Exhibition of Fine Arts 
and Manufactures now being held in Cardiff, to which 
thousands are drawn daily from all the surrounding 
neighbourhood, was an opportunity not to be lost. In¬ 
vitations were accordingly issued to about one hundred 
chemists throughout the county. The call, however, 
was not so liberally responded to as might fairly have 
been expected. To the honour of Pontypridd be it told 
that that town unanimously accepted the invitation, and 
subsequently furnished the chairman. All the chemists 
of the Rhonda Valley and Taff’s Valley were also present, 
and Aberdare found a representative in Mr. Abel James. 
The majority of the trade in the town of Cardiff availed 
themselves of the opportunity of meeting their friends 
from the country. But it is to be regretted that such 
important towns as Merthyr, Swansea, and some others 
allowed the gathering to pass off without taking any 
part in it. The dinner was excellently served by Messrs. 
Cousins and Son at the ‘ Angel ’ Hotel, Cardiff. 
The usual toasts, loyal, patriotic and clerical, having 
been duly acknowledged, the Chairman, Mr. Charles 
Bassett, then gave “The Town and Trade of Cardiff,” 
which was responded to by Mr. Kernick, who from his 
long acquaintance with the town was well able to speak 
of its great and still rapidly-extending increase since the 
time when he came a stripling to assist the late Mr. 
Charles Vachell. 
“The Outlying Districts ” quickly brought Mr. John 
James, of Pontypridd, to his feet, who spoke well of the 
common interest each ought to feel in the welfare of the 
other, for whereas Cardiff would be nothing without the 
rich minerals of our hills and valleys, so those same dis¬ 
tricts would have ever remained unproductive but for 
the great outlet of our ports. 
The Chairman then gave what may be called the 
toast of the evening, “The Pharmaceutical Society,” 
and in speaking of the great opportunities held out by 
the Society, he gave some amusing anecdotes illustrative 
of the laborious trials and troubles of the apprentice in 
days gone by, and of the local peculiarities and nomen¬ 
clature of the hill districts, which would completely baffle 
the scientific and successful student from Bloomsbury 
Square. 
Mr. F. W. Joy, Hon. Local Secretary, responded, 
shadowing forth the great advantages offered to the 
rising generation of chemists, through the means of the 
Society, its well-appointed laboratory, courses of lectures 
and extensive library; he also enlarged upon the subject 
of the Benevolent Fund, which is open to any deserving 
distressed member of the trade, and strongly urged that 
each one should forthwith add his own name to the an¬ 
nual subscription list. Mr. Joy next spoke of the objects 
of the meeting, which he described as threefold, viz. the 
promotion of more personal and friendly intercourse 
among the members of the trade ; the development and 
protection of trade interests, and though last, not least, 
the formation of some plan for the systematic education 
of the apprentices and younger assistants, which, since 
the passing of the Pharmacy Act, had become quite a 
necessity. He concluded by giving the health of the 
Chairman, the oldest member of the Pharmaceutical 
Society in the district, who had so ably presided at this 
their first meeting. 
The Chairman thanked his friends for the honour 
they had done him. He had looked forward, he said, 
to the present meeting with some anxiety, for he con¬ 
sidered in a town like Cardiff there were greater advan¬ 
tages for scientific pursuits than he could obtain in the 
country, and he felt considerable diffidence in occupying 
so prominent a position, but the kindly support he had 
received had so lightened his labours that he had never 
occupied the presidential chair with greater pleasure, 
and expressed his willingness to render the trade of the 
district all the assistance in his power on any future oc¬ 
casions. 
The health of the “ Vice-Chairman ” (Mr. Joy), “ Our 
Visitors ” and “ The Host,” terminated a very pleasant 
and successful meeting. 
NORWICH CHEMISTS’ ASSISTANTS’ 
ASSOCIATION. 
A well-attended Meeting of the assistants and appren¬ 
tices of the chemists in this city was held at the St. 
John’s Rooms, on September 22nd. 
Mr. Hill, having been unanimously voted to the 
chair, stated that the circular convening the meeting 
was issued by Messrs. Nuthall and Perkins. He there¬ 
fore called upon those gentlemen to lay the first resolu¬ 
tion before the meeting. 
It was moved by Mr. E. Nuthall, seconded by Mr. 
T. J. Perkins, “ That, in the opinion of this meeting, it 
is desirable to form an Association of Chemists’ Assistants, 
and Apprentices in Norwich, for the purposes of educa¬ 
tional improvement and social intercourse; and that the- 
said association be called ‘ The Norwich Chemists’ Assis¬ 
tants’ Association.’ ” 
Moved by Mr. W. Butler, seconded by Mr. T. W. 
Richardson, “ That the affairs of the society be con¬ 
ducted by a President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secre¬ 
tary, and a Committee of five, the President, Vice- 
President, Treasurer, and Secretary, to be ex officio 
members of the Committee.” 
Moved by Mr. E. Martin, seconded by Mr. P. H_ 
Mason, “ That Mr. Hill be elected President.” 
Moved by Mr. Butler, seconded by Mr. Ekin, 
“That Mr. Nuthall be elected Vice-President.” 
Moved by Mr. Mason, seconded by Mr. N. Lincoln, 
“That Mr. W. Butler be elected Treasurer.” 
Moved by Mr. J. Goodenough, seconded by Mr. R. 
Bateman, “ That Mr. T. J. Perkins be elected Honorary 
Secretary.” 
Moved by Mr. Nuthall, seconded by Mr. Butler, 
“ That the following gentlemen form the Committee : — 
Mr. Canham, Mr. Ekins, Mr. J. Goodenough, Mr. N. 
Lincoln, and Mr. P. H. Mason.” 
Moved by Mr. Butler, seconded by Mr. T. J. Per¬ 
kins, “ That the Committee frame a code of rules, to be 
submitted for approval to a general meeting of members, 
to be held within ten days.” 
After cordial votes of thanks to Messrs. Nuthall and 
Perkins for the active steps taken by them in promoting 
the formation of the society, and to Mr. Hill for his able 
conduct and courtesy in the chair, the meeting dissolved. 
The greatest unanimity of feeling prevailed throughout, 
and at the close of the meeting the Secretary enrolled 
thirty-six members out of forty-two present. 
The 'Wine Supply of Paris. —The Pall Mall Ga¬ 
zette says that if all the fermented liquors that pay the 
octroi duty are consumed in Paris, the inhabitants ma¬ 
nage to dispose in the course of the year of no less than 
365,000 tuns of wine—equal to forty-four gallons per 
head of the population, or almost a pint a day for every 
man, woman and child in the French capital; and this, 
too, in addition to 225,000 barrels of beer, nearly a cou¬ 
ple of million gallons of cider, and more than that quan¬ 
tity of spirit. The authorities in Paris state that the 
water-supply of the city cannot be stopped by the Prus¬ 
sians ; and the two immense depots which furnish France 
with wine are both within the line of the fortifications, 
and quite full. There appears, therefore, to be little fear 
of suffering from thirst, whatever prospect there may be 
of misery from starvation. 
