394  Antoine-Laurent  Lavoisier.  {A  Aug°uust,f^fm' 
parts  of  castor  oil  and  19  parts  of  alcohol;  shake  until  dissolved 
and  set  aside  to  clear  up.  The  German  Pharmacopoeia  directs  ether 
as  the  menstruum,  but  makes  its  cantharidal  collodion  100  per  cent, 
strong,  quite  a  difference  from  ours,  which  is  only  60  per  cent. 
For  general  use  a  60  per  cent,  preparation  gives  satisfactory 
results,  but  veterinarians  whom  I  have  furnished  both  60  and  100 
per  cent,  collodions  for  their  practice,  report  decidedly  best  results 
with  the  100  per  cent.  They  also  prefer  it  made  thicker  than  the 
official  preparation. 
It  has  been  suggested  to  make  this  preparation  by  dissolving 
cantharidin  in  the  proportion  of  4  grains  to  1,000  grains  in  flexible 
collodion. 
A  formula  of  this  kind  would  simplify  matters  and  would  insure 
more  uniformity  of  action. 
ANTOINE-LAURENT  LAVOISIER. 
By  Wiwjam  B.  Thompson. 
The  close  of  the  last  and  the  dawn  of  the  present  century  point 
to  important  epochs  in  the  history  of  the  science  of  chemistry. 
The  mark  of  a  period  lies  in  the  history  of  its  scientific  men. 
These  are  the  centres  and  sources  from  which  spring  development 
and  intellectual  progress,  and  it  is  truly  well  for  us  to  gauge  the 
measure  of  our  gain  in  a  faithful  retrospect  of  the  life-work  of 
those  who  have  wrought  out  to  demonstration,  truths  which  time 
and  experience  expand  into  the  fulness  of  knowledge. 
The  mysticism  of  alchemy  had  long  been  laid  aside  for  the  light  of 
a  truer  wisdom — advancing  civilization  aroused  and  demanded  a 
spirit  of  inquiry — speculation  yielded  to  investigation — a  flame  had 
been  kindled — diligence  and  patience  brought  their  votaries  to  the 
task,  and  the  roll  of  fame  is  honored  in  its  inscriptions — Black, 
Cavendish,  Priestley,  Scheele,  Lavoisier,  each  of  which  adds  lustre 
to  the  sun  of  human  achievement.  The  fame  of  these  lies  in  our 
keeping,  and  what  they  have  given  to  the  store  of  knowledge  is  in 
part  our  heritage,  of  which  we  should  show  ourselves  to  be  worthy 
— worthy  in  the  respect  which  shall  ever  be  paid  to  honored 
memories,  and  in  the  homage  of  future  generations  at  the  shrine 
of  science. 
The  more  fully  the  histories  of  these  illustrious  men  become  com- 
prehended, the  more  eager  will  be  posterity  to  accord  the  fullest 
