230 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. [September 1C, 1871. 
fitting inside , or steam will collect on it and flow down 
the outside of the condenser. It should stand on a stool 
with a hole for the pipe to pass through, under which 
the jar to receive the distilled water could he placed out 
of the way. The hall-cock should have a piece of pipe 
soldered to the nozzle, that the cold water may reach 
the bottom of the condenser. The pipe for feeding the 
hoiler should come from about the centre of the con¬ 
denser and curve downwards, so that a portion may ho 
below the bottom of the boiler ; for without this pre¬ 
caution the heated water would circulate to and from 
the condenser, and the water would soon become nearly 
as hot as that in the boiler itself. This simple precaution 
effectually prevents it, as the heated water will not pass 
through the cold part of the pipe below it without pres¬ 
sure. It should also be furnished with a stop-cock; all 
the joints should be secured by a few disks of stout 
brown paper over the flange, which, when drawn tight 
by the nut, effectually prevent leakage, and are easily 
removed if required for alteration, repair or cleansing. 
But if they are fixed with lead cement, they become so 
firm that they cannot be removed without injury. The 
condenser should have a waste pipe, unless the main cistern 
has a stop-cock to shut off the whole supply at night, or 
the condenser may overflow, since the ball-cock must 
necessarily work easily, and a slight leakage might be 
expected. The hole in the brickwork should have a 
piece of iron pipe cemented into it, to form a regular 
slope for the steam pipe, as it might drop into the hollow 
space and water collect in it. 
I found the experiment very successful, the supply 
of distilled water being abundant and pure enough for 
any purpose. It is perfectly self-acting, the boiler fills 
itself and the water distils itself. It does not cause any 
inconvenience, interfere with any domestic or culinary 
operation, or limit the use of the boiler; on the contrary, 
it is greatly increased, as an abundant supply of heated 
water may be drawn from the condenser, care being 
taken to close the stop-cock and keep it closed for ten 
or fifteen minutes, or until the heated water is replaced 
by cold. It is perfectly safe, as the steam escapes freely 
through the tube, and the lid of the boiler, although 
steam-tight, may be raised with the thumb and finger. 
Little attention is required beyond placing a vessel to 
receive the distilled water and seeing that it does not 
overflow; the supply being so copious that sometimes, 
while cooking a dinner for a moderate family, several 
gallons will come over. I have found it difficult to give 
a perspective view of the apparatus, as some part must 
be concealed by the projecting brickwork, but hope it 
may be sufficiently understood by this partly sectional 
sketch. 
A. Brickwork of chimney jamb. B. Boiler. C. Con¬ 
denser. DDDD. Course of steam-pipe. E. Curved 
tube for feeding the boiler. F. Stop-cock screwed to 
condenser, Gr. Cock for drawing heated water from 
condenser. H H. Ball-cock, with tube for cold water 
to reach the bottom of condenser. J. Pipe communi¬ 
cating with main cistern. This pipe need not bo large, 
as the water will never flow much larger than a goose- 
quill. Mine is only £-inch, but for a very large boiler I 
should think one -fth of an inch would be ample. 
Mr. Savage pointed out one or two objections to the- 
method. 
Mr. Baildon said that fifteen years ago he had occa¬ 
sion to fit up a small range. This range at one side had 
a high-pressure boiler, and he got inserted a valve that 
should be shut or left open. When open, the steam 
entered almost immediately, and from that day to this 
he had not had difficulty in getting distilled water. 
Mr. Bottle said that this was a similar application to 
that which he used twenty-five years ago. 
Mr. Williams stated that one thing in connection 
with this was, that the excise insisted on their paying 
still-licence for the right to distil water. 
Mr. Baildon remarked that it was ascertained some 
time ago that that was not the case. 
Mr. Williams said that he thought Mr. Baildon must 
have been misinformed. 
Mr. Baildon stated that he had discontinued taking- 
out a licence for many years. 
A Member asked whether it was because Mr. Bail¬ 
don had a steam engine, so that he could get distilled 
water from it, that he escaped the excise ? If he had a 
still, he would have to pay for it. 
Mr. Baildon said that he had not a still. 
Dr. Attfield : Then the Excise allow you to distil! 
because you have not a still on the premises ? 
A Member: Mr. Baildon has a steam-engine. 
Dr. Attfield : Then the position is this:—you may 
have a still if you call it a steam-engine. 
Mr. Mackay said he thought that if the plan proposed 
by Mr. Baildon were adopted, and if it became known 
to the Excise, the chemists would have to pay 10s. 6d. 
Dr. Paul stated that he had been in communication 
with the Excise authorities on the subject, and, in 
answer to whether the chemists might use a still for dis¬ 
tilling water, was told that, although the Inland Re¬ 
venue had power to grant exemption from the provisions, 
of the Act as to licences, there was such extreme diffi¬ 
culty in drawing the line between cases subject to pay¬ 
ment of duty, and cases which might be exempted from it, 
that they were often at a loss what action to take, and 
found it practically necessary to insist on the payment 
of licences from every one who had a still, that was^ 
a vessel capable of the distillation of alcohol. Al¬ 
though there was a willingness to remit the licence- 
when it was objectionable, they found it impossible- 
to do so. Some years ago he was engaged in a ma¬ 
nufacture where distillation was carried on. They 
had several stills, for all of which they had to pay 
licence, and it was a somewhat serious tax. He applied 
to the Income-tax Commissioners, and requested them 
to allow him to use the stills without a licence. In that 
case they did give permission, but the material distilled 
was tar. He had some difficulty in making them under¬ 
stand that it could not be used for the distillation of 
alcohol, but so soon as they were satisfied of that they 
granted his request; and he believed that they would 
do the same in other cases if they were satisfied that it 
was for such purpose. 
Microscopes and Photographs. 
Dr. Edwards exhibited a number of excellent micro¬ 
scopes and beautiful photographs. The photographs 
represented the old and present laboratories of the Society 
and portraits of some of the founders of the Conference. 
The microscopes were remarkable both for cheapness, 
and superior quality. 
