February 4,1871.] THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
631 
LIVERPOOL CHEMISTS’ ASSOCIATION. 
The Sixth General Meeting was held at the Royal 
Institution, on Thursday evening, January 19th; the 
President, Mr. John Abraham, in the chair. 
Several donations to the Library and Museum were 
announced. 
Mr. John Shaw announced that he had been authorized 
by the Local Committee of the British Pharmaceutical 
Conference to place £32. 15s. 4 d. (the balance of the 
fund raised to entertain their pharmaceutical brethren 
in September last) to the funds of the Association. 
Mr. Edward Davies, F.C.S., drew attention to the 
case of accidental poisoning at Mossley, and detailed the 
result of his analysis of the medicine administered to the 
child, the detection of morphia, etc. He also made some 
remarks upon the evidence given at the inquest, and the 
experience of the physician’s assistant as a dispenser. 
The Secretary called attention to the report, pub¬ 
lished in the Lancet of 14th January, of Dr. Lankester 
upon the inquests held in Great Britain in 1868-69 upon 
suicidal cases, and thought regulations for the storing of 
poisons by chemists could not prevent such cases of 
poisoning as those mentioned. 
Mr. Thomas F. Abrahams stated that the results of 
Mr. Mason’s experiments, as detailed by him in his 
paper, read at the last meeting, induced him to make a 
few experiments, which he described. 
The first trial was with some of Liebreich’s chloral. 
The percentage of chloroform produced was by weight 71. 
The second was with some of the crystal chloral 
(Sample No. 5). The quantity of chloroform produced 
was so small that he did not estimate it. 
The third was with the same chloral (crystal), and the 
quantity of chloroform produced was by weight about 
70 per cent. 
The fourth trial was made with samples of Liebreich’s 
and the crystals simultaneously. The same quantities 
were used. The tubes were of about the same diameter 
(possibly a matter of some importance), and were placed 
in the same jug at the same time. 
The quantities of chloroform produced were, as nearly 
as possible, identical, viz. 70 to 71 per cent, by weight. 
The chloroform layer from Liebreich’s chloral deposited 
a white crystalline mass. That from the crystals did not 
deposit, but was more deeply coloured. 
The conclusions he drew from these experiments were, 
that the crystal chloral, as far as this mode of testing 
shows, is quite equal to Liebreich’s, and that the instruc¬ 
tions given by Mr. Umney are insufficient, in that they 
do not prescribe the temperature of the water into which 
the tubes are to be plunged. 
He intended, however, to make a further trial, and 
use more care in the manipulation. 
A discussion followed, in which Messrs. Davies, Abra¬ 
ham, and the Secretary took part. 
Mr. Alexander Fraser read an interesting and prac¬ 
tical paper, giving the results of his experiments with 
some officinal and non-officinal remedies, concentrated 
infusions, etc. He condemned the practice of those who 
would, by private judgment, substitute cheaper medicines 
for officinal ones; and illustrated several common in¬ 
stances where this is done. 
A short discussion followed. 
A vote of thanks was passed to the author, and the 
members adjourned. 
BRADFORD CHEMISTS’ ASSOCIATION. 
The Annual Meeting was held at the Freemasons’ 
Rooms, Salem Street, on Tuesday evening, January 24th; 
Mr. M. Rogerson, the President, in the chair. 
The Secretary, Mr. H. G. Rogerson, gave the Re¬ 
port :— 
“The present meeting signalizes the close of the 
second year of the Society’s existence, a year which, 
though not one of marked activity, can nevertheless 
scarcely be said to have been barren of desirable results. 
The roll of the Society’s members shows, unfortu¬ 
nately, a decrease in their numbers, four having re¬ 
signed, and there being no counterbalance to their loss 
in newly-acquired members. That of the Associates, 
from removal from town and other inevitable causes, 
gives a defection as compared with last year of thirteen, 
but the accession of nine new Associates goes far to' 
compensate for their loss. 
“ The Preliminary Examination of the Pharmaceu¬ 
tical Society has been passed by five of the students, the- 
Modified by two, and the Minor and Major each by one. 
“ During the year a course of lectures on botany w r as- 
delivered by Mr. Louis Miall, the attendance at which, 
though at first satisfactory, fell off materially before the 
termination of the series. 
“ The Council determined in October last to discontinue 
the employment of a special lecturer on chemistry, and to 
lighten their expenditure by transferring the students to' 
the chemistry class of the Philosophical Society, a course 
upon w r hich they may be congratulated, since from some 
influence or other the number attending that class has- 
dwindled dowm to eleven. 
“ In April last the Society was instrumental in record¬ 
ing the objections held by the chemists of Bradford, in 
common w r ith those of most other towns, against the 
regulations for the storing of poisons then proposed to- 
be submifted for the sanction of the Legislature. 
“A sum of £16. 7s. 6d. w r as subscribed through the 
Society’s agency in October last for the relief of the- 
sick and w r ounded in war. 
“Dr. Parkinson was the Society’s delegate at the 
recent Pharmaceutical Conference,—Mr. Rimmington, 
nominated as his colleague, being unable to attend that 
assembly. 
“It is hoped that the present year may wdtness a 
larger attendance at the general meetings than hereto¬ 
fore, there being many manifest advantages, apart from 
the actual transaction of business, in frequent gather¬ 
ings of members of the trade. For may not such meet¬ 
ings tend to smooth down prejudices, and prove a potent 
means of causing sentiments of friendship and brother¬ 
hood to supersede the feelings of petty rivalry that un¬ 
deniably have too often had a cherished existence.’’ 
The Report having been adopted, the following officers 
of the Society were elected:— President: Mr. F. M. Rim¬ 
mington. Vice-President: Mr. Joseph Hick. Treasurer : 
Mr. Thomas Harrison. Secretary : Mr. W. New r sholme 
Council: Messrs. Boll, Cockshot, Parkinson, Ph.D. 
Whitehouse. 
GLASGOW CHEMISTS AND DRUGGISTS’ 
ASSOCIATION. 
The Eighth Meeting of the Session w r as held in An¬ 
derson’s University, on Wednesday evening last, the 
25th January ; Mr. T. Davison, President, in the chair. 
The large hall was filled in every part. 
Messrs. Thomas Hart (Govan), John Dunlop, W. 
Halley, A. Miller, and M‘Donald were elected members. 
Mr. J. Fergus Wilson afterwards brought forward 
the motion of which he had previously given notice, on 
“ Early Closing.” 
Mr. Fairlie seconded the motion, on the condition 
that the appointment of the committee be postponed till 
after the festival, which was unanimously agreed to. 
Dr. Mofeatt made some remarks on the properties- 
and uses of the new antiseptic, “ Chlor-alum,” which 
were highly appreciated by the members. 
Mr. W. Crocket was appointed Treasurer in room of 
Mr. Cassells, who has been obliged to leave the city. 
The discussion on the proposed poison regulations, 
which w r as adjourned at last meeting, w r as then proceeded 
wdth. 
The President read a copy of a letter he had sent to- 
