436 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. [November 26, 1870. 
The Executive Committee shall be elected at each 
annual meeting- by ballot of those present.” 
Upon the proposition of Mr. Evans, seconded by Mr. 
Atherton, it was resolved unanimously,— 
“ That the invitation to hold the next meeting of 
the Conference in Edinburgh, in August, 1871, be ac¬ 
cepted.” 
Upon a ballot being taken, the following were declared 
to be the retiring members of the Executive Committee: 
—Mr. S. C. Betty, Mr. Cooper, and Mr. J. T. Robinson. 
It was proposed by Mr. Atherton, seconded by Mr. 
Williams, and carried unanimously,— 
“That in consequence of the large increase in the 
number of members, the Executive Committee be re¬ 
commended to appoint a paid agent as Assistant- 
Secretary and Sub-Treasurer.” 
The ballot for officers for 1870-71 was then taken; 
the Chairman declared the result to be as follows:—* 
f)*P^ ) fl 
W. W. Stoddart, F.G.S., F.C.S. 
Vice-Presidents who have filled the office of President. 
H. Deane, F.L.S. 
Professor Bentley, F.L.S., M.R.C.S. 
D. Hanbury, F.R.S., F.L.S., F.C.S. 
Vice-Presidents. 
J. Abraham, Liverpool. J. Ince, F.L.S., F.C.S. 
H. C. Baildon, Edinburgh. J. Williams, London. 
Treasurer —G. F. Schacht. 
General Secretaries. 
Professor Attfield, Ph.D., F.C.S. 
R. Reynolds, F.C.S., Leeds. 
Local Secretary. — J. Mackay. 
Committee. 
F. B. Benger, Manchester. 
H. Matthews, F.C.S., London. 
M. Carteighe, F.C.S., London. 
G. Blanshard, Edinburgh. 
T. B. Groves, F.C.S., Weymouth. 
W. Martindale, London. 
E. Davies, F.C.S., Liverpool. 
H. B. Brady, F.L.S., F.C.S., Newcastle-on-Tyne. 
F. Sutton, F.C.S., Norwich. 
It was proposed by Mr. Sumner, seconded by Mr. 
Bourdas, and carried unanimously, — 
“ That Mr. H. S. Evans and Mr. J. F. Robinson 
be elected Auditors for the present year.” 
It was proposed by Mr. Robbins, seconded by Mr. 
Evans, and carried unanimously,— 
“ That a grant of books, of the value of ten guineas, 
be made from the Bell and Hills Fund to the Library 
of the Liverpool Chemists’ Association.” 
The President of the Liverpool Chemists’ Association 
thanked the Conference, on behalf of the Association, for 
the gift, and said that their Library now amounted to 
about six hundred volumes. 
It was proposed by Mr. Matthews, seconded by Mr. 
Bourdas, and carried unanimously,— 
“ That the best thanks of the Conference be presented 
to the Committee of the Liverpool Royal Institution 
for the use of its rooms for the meetings of the Con¬ 
ference.” 
It was proposed by Mr. Martindale, seconded by Mr. 
Williams, and carried unanimously,— 
“ That the best thanks of the Conference be tendered 
to the Trustees and Managers of the Liverpool Savings 
Bank for the use of its rooms for the Exhibition of 
Objects relating to Pharmacy.” 
A vote of thanks having been accorded to the Chair¬ 
man, the proceedings terminated. 
MEETING FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. 
Thursday, London Chemists' Association, at 9.30 p.m.— 
“ On Hypophosphites.” By Mr. R. Jewell. 
fiu-IiiMMttitrj ani> fate fnjmimtp. 
Double Suicide by Cyanide of Potassium. 
An inquest was held on Wednesday, Nov. 16, at Red- 
hill, upon the bodies of Robert Walker and Helen Mason, 
who had been found dead. A document, signed by both 
the deceased, in which they expressed their intention to 
commit suicide, was produced. 
W. Mills, in the employ of Mr. Padrick, chemist, 
Warwick-town, said the deceased man came to his em¬ 
ployer’s shop on Friday night, and asked for two penny¬ 
worth of prussic acid to clean gold lace, which ho refused 
to give, as by the new Act of Parliament a witness was 
required. The man called again in about a quarter of an 
hour, accompanied by James Crouch, a person known to 
witness, and he was then served with half an ounce in its 
crude state. 
James Crouch, gardener, said that while he was look¬ 
ing into Mr. Padrick’s window the man asked him to go 
in as a witness. He said he did not mind if there was 
no harm. He then went in and signed the book as a 
witness. He never saw the man before. 
Dr. Hallowes said he had no doubt cyanide of potas¬ 
sium, which contains prussic acid, was the cause of death. 
Three grains would be sufficient to destroy life. He 
thought it was most likely taken in a crude state, and 
that death ensued in four or five minutes after taking it. 
Evidence was given, showing that both the deceased 
were very peculiar in their manner. The jury returned 
a verdict “ That the deceased destroyed themselves while 
in an unsound state of mind.” They also censured the 
man Crouch for signing his name when he did not know 
what it was for, and the coroner refused him his ex¬ 
penses.— Times. 
William M‘Connell, a prominent member of the 
Canadian Pharmaceutical Society, died on the 28 th of 
September from the effects of a railroad accident, after 
lingering for ten hours. He resided at Coburg, and 
has left a widow and four children. 
Poisoning of a Family by Sheep-Sipping Com¬ 
position. —A case of poisoning of a family consisting of 
a farmer, his wife and their son, showing a large amount 
of carelessness in dealing with poisonous washes, is re¬ 
ported in the Leeds Mercury as having occurred near 
Driffield. Three ounces and a half of mercury had been 
purchased by the son for the purpose of making a sheep- 
wash, which ho prepared over the kitchen fire in the 
evening. When the mercury was sufficiently dissolved, 
it was removed from the fire, poured into a tin vessel and 
placed under the kitchen table, where it remained during 
the night. Next morning the servant went to fill the 
kettle for breakfast, and did so from the tin vessel con¬ 
taining the mercurial preparation, mistaking it for one 
she had been in the habit of using. From this mixture 
coffee was prepared, all three partaking of it. Strong 
symptoms of poisoning were immediately manifested, 
and medical assistance was obtained, but in spite of every 
effort the father died on the following day, after suffering- 
great agony. 
The following journals have been received:—The ‘British 
Medical Journal,’ Nov. 19; the‘Medical Times and Gazette,’ 
Nov. 19 : the ! Lancet,’ Nov. 19; ‘Nature,’ Nov. 17; the ‘ Che¬ 
mical News,’ Nov. 18 ; ‘ Journal of the Society of Arts,’ Nov. 
17; ‘ Gardeners’ Chronicle,’ Nov. 19; the ‘ Grocer,’ Nov. 19- 
the ‘English Mechanic,’ Nov. 18; the ‘Produce Markets 
Review,’ Nov. 19; the ‘Chemist and Druggist’ for Novem¬ 
ber; th,e ‘ Chemists and Druggists’ Advocate ’ for November; 
the ‘Chicago Pharmacist’ for October; the ‘American 
Journal of Pharmacy ’ for November. 
