MEETING OF PHARMACEUTISTS AT LEEDS. 
583 
After the reading of the minutes, and the election of Mr. Holmes as a Member, and 
Messrs. Thos. Garside and Wm. Arkle as Associates, a lecture was delivered by W. E. 
Heathfield, Esq., F.R.G.S., of London, on Water. 
The lecturer began by observing that every one ought to make himself thoroughly 
acquainted with everything connected with his own vocation. In accordance with that 
sentiment, he had ventured to put together a few observations relative to one of the 
most useful bodies within our reach—namely, water. 
Mr. Heathfield then proceeded to give the properties of water in detail, pointing out 
its existence in the states of vapour, liquid and solid ; its general diffusion over the 
globe ; its composition, as shown by Cavendish in 1781 ; the heat produced by the com¬ 
bination of its elements being adequate to raise 34,000 lb. of water 1° F., or to lift 
mechanically 47,000,000 of pounds weight one foot high ; its necessity for sustaining 
our lives ; its usefulness in the form of oceans, rivers, clouds, and glaciers ; its property 
of refracting light; the degree in which it conducts heat and electricity ; its chemical 
relations; its compressibility, and capacity for heat. 
The lecturer showed that in vacuo water boils at 100°, and, therefore, extracts boiled 
in vacuo contained a greater amount of the aromatic part of vegetables than when a 
greater degree of heat was employed. Water, freed from, air, could be raised 100° above 
its ordinary boiling-point without passing into vapour, but the violence with which 
ebullition suddenly took place in such cases was enormous. The explosion of locomotives 
might perhaps sometimes be explained in this manner. 
The solvent power of water was then alluded to, and its proportion in animal tissue, 
bile, blood, etc., stated. The purest natural water was generally obtained from lakes— 
Loch Katrine, for instance, containing but two grains of solid matter to the gallon ; the 
lecturer afterwards explaining that this arose from the water having to pass through 
strata which had the power of depriving it of some of its saline, as well as its mechanical 
impurities. Mineral waters, and the Dead and Caspian Seas were then described, and the 
fact stated that water contracts until it reaches the degree of 39° F., at which point it 
begins to expand, and the very important consequences of this fact were alluded to. Dr. 
Wells’s ‘ Essay on Dew ’ was noticed, and some of his experiments detailed. 
After the lecture, questions were asked by Messrs. Atkinson, Brown, and Harvey, on 
the methods of obtaining pure water, its compressibility, and the effect of freezing in 
depriving it of salts ; all of which were replied to by Mr. Heathfield in a satisfactory 
manner. 
A vote of thanks was cordially and unanimously passed, on the motion of Mr. Ward, 
seconded by Mr. B. Taylor. 
This was the concluding meeting of the present Session. 
MEETING OF PHARMACEUTISTS AT LEEDS. 
A meeting of the Pharmaceutical Chemists of Leeds was held at the Philosophical Hall 
on March 27th, 1865 : Mr. Hakvey in the chair. 
It was resolved :— 
1st. That it is desirable that further legislation should take place to institute com¬ 
pulsory examinations for persons who may hereafter commence business as chemists and 
druggists. That the Pharmaceutical Society is capable of serving as a basis for such an 
enlarged institution, and what it has already accomplished would justify its receiving 
such a trust. At the same time, the fact that there are a considerable number of 
chemists and druggists well qualified to become members of the Pharmaceutical Society, 
renders it both just and politic to act liberally towards such persons. 
Proposed by Mr. Williamson, seconded by Mr. Smeeton. Carried unanimously. 
2nd. That the petition in favour of Sir Fitzroy Kelly’s Bill be adopted. 
Proposed by Mr. Haigh, seconded by Mr. Reinhardt. Carried. 
(Signed) R. Reynolds, Local Sec. 
Upon the 27th and 28th, the petition received the signatures of thirteen Pharmaceutical 
Chemists and of fourteen assistants, and was forwarded to Mr. Baines. 
Note. —The‘Chemist and Druggist,’ for April 15, gives a report of this meeting as 
follows:— 
“A meeting of the pharmaceutical chemists of Leeds was held at Messrs.‘Harvey and 
