PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY, EDINBURGH. 
579 
meetings have been as numerous and as able as heretofore ; the subjects as important 
and the speakers as distinguished as on former occasions; and nothing, I think, was 
wanting but a larger attendance, and a more extended interest in our proceedings. 
When the number of individuals connected with our business in this city is considered, 
it seems reasonable to desire some improvement in these respects, more especially on the 
part of the assistants and apprentices, for whose benefit, chiefly, these meetings are 
arranged and kept up. I think it ought to be regarded as a great privilege to have 
opportunities of attending such meetings, and hearing such valuable papers read, on 
subjects closely connected with our business. The time has been when no such oppor¬ 
tunities were afforded us ; when, instead of having scientific instruction imparted to us 
in that easy and pleasant way, it had, in many cases, to be altogether dispensed with, or 
self-acquired amidst great difficulties and by a vast expenditure of labour. 
Dr. Macadam, who has always taken a deep interest in the society, and from whom 
we have received many favours, opened the session with an able communication on 
pharmaceutical chemistry in its relation to the vitality of the bodily frame in health 
and sickness, in w’hich he took occasion to notice and illustrate the various forces which 
influence vital activity, embracing heat, light, motion, electricity, magnetism, and 
chemical affinity,—a subject which he handled with his usual skill, and which was 
listened to with marked attention. After which Mr. Mackay made a few remarks on 
some specimens of Radix Scammonise, from Killis, in Asia Minor, presented by Mr. 
Ransom, of Hitchin ; and also on Howell’s new capsule for poison bottles, which, after 
some discussion, was, with the whole subject of poisoning, remitted to a committee to 
consider and report. At our second meeting, Professor Archer gave us some interesting 
notes on a few curiosities of Brazilian pharmacy, various specimens of which were 
exhibited to the meeting, and also several varieties of dried flowers, used for scenting 
teas, from Canton. In the course of the conversation which followed, several questions 
were put to Professor Archer, regarding the sources and uses of the preparations from 
Brazil, which he, as usual, answered readily and satisfactorily. At the next meeting, 
Dr. Scoresby-Jackson delivered a masterly address on the present position of Pharmacy 
in Great Britain, and on the teaching of Pharmacy in Edinburgh, in which he showed 
“ that, as a science, Pharmacy has rapidly advanced, and is now attaining a high and 
honourable rank in the cycle of medical science; that, as an art, it is remarkable for 
the elegance and utility of its productions as compared with those of the earlier part of 
the present century ; and that, with respect to those engaged in the study and practice 
of Pharmacy, there is in the Pharmaceutical Society a combination of power capable of 
realizing the ultimate desires of the most ardent lovers of their profession.” He also 
showed that, while the status of the Pharmaceutical Chemist had been much improved, 
it was necessary to have a higher Pharmaceutical education than at present, and pointed 
out the means by which it was most likely to be attained. As might have been expected 
from the ability of the speaker and the importance and reasonableness of the subject, it 
was warmly received and applauded, and led to an interesting discussion, in the course 
of which several members and visitors intimated their concurrence in the views wdiich 
had been expressed. Our fourth meeting proved to be as interesting as the others. 
Professor Archer again favoured us with some notes on a new species of galls from 
China, a substance from the Cape of Good Hope, resembling saffron in its properties, 
and a new product called African cubebs ; excellent specimens of each of which were 
handed round for inspection. On the same occasion, our Vice-President, Mr. D. R. 
Brown, convener of the committee appointed to consider the best means of preventing 
poisoning, read the report of the committee on the subject, which, after a long and 
animated discussion, was unanimously adopted. While it is hardly to be expected that 
there will be no difference of opinion on a subject of so much importance as that referred 
to in this report, I feel persuaded that the more it is considered in a practical light, the 
more clearly will it appear that its conclusions are sound ; that in contending for intel¬ 
ligence, care, and accuracy on the part of the Pharmaceutist, it takes the safest and most 
intelligible ground; and that, in declining to recommend for general adoption any of the 
mechanical monitors, or so-called safeguards, which have been recently suggested, it 
avoids what there is reason to fear would soon increase instead of lessening the danger. 
At the last meeting, our Vice-President made some remarks on specific gravity, which 
he illustrated by a variety of interesting experiments. Mr. P. Stevenson also kindly 
-exhibited and explained various instruments for taking specific gravities, and accom- 
