Am'oc°turi884arm'}        British  Pharmaceutical  Conference.  555 
In  a  "  Note  on  Sulphurated  Lime,"  Mr.  Dymond  stated  that  some  com- 
parative experiments  had  shown  that  the  best  method  of  preparing  it  is  to 
roast  seven  parts  of  finely  powdered  sulphate  of  calcium  with  one  of  char- 
coal until  the  black  color  has  disappeared.  In  another  note  he  described  a 
method  for  the  estimation  of  diastase  in  malt  extract. 
Mr.  MacEwan  communicated  a  "  Report  on  Commercial  Peruvian  Bal- 
sam and  the  Methods  for  ascertaining  its  Purity."  Twelve  samples  from 
different  sources  had  been  examined,  and  the  author  stated  that  so  far  as  he 
is  able  to  judge  the  present  supply  of  the  balsam  is  of  good  quality. 
The  last  paper  was  a  note  by  Mr.  J.  R.  Hill  on  the  "  Presence  of  Copper 
in  some  Pharmaceutical  Preparations,"  which  seemed  to  indicate  that  the 
metal  in  question  is  frequently  present  where  little  suspected.  The  expla- 
nation is,  no  doubt,  to  be  found  in  the  use  of  copper  vessels  for  pharmaceu- 
tical manipulations. 
The  concluding  business  was  then  proceeded  with.  Mr.  Kay,  in  the 
name  of  the  pharmacists  of  Aberdeen,  gave  a  hearty  invitation  to  the  Con- 
ference to  visit  that  city  next  year,  and  this,  on  the  motion  of  Mr.  Benger, 
seconded  by  Mr.  Plowman,  was  accepted.  The  President  then  alluded  to 
the  loss  the  Conference  was  sustaining  in  the  retirement  of  Mr.  Benger  and 
Mr.  Ekin,  and  proposed  a  hearty  vote  of  thanks  to  those  gentlemen.  This, 
after  being  supported  by  Mr.  Schacht  and  Mr.  Plowman,  was  carried  by 
acclamation,  and  Mr.  Benger  acknowledged  the  compliment.  The  election 
of  officers  for  the  ensuing  year  then  took  place,  with  the  following  result. 
President. — J.  B.  Stephenson,  Edinburgh. 
Vice-Presidents—  F.  Baden  Benger,  F.C.S.,  Manchester ;  M.  Carteighe, 
F.I.C.,  F.C.S.,  London  ;  C.  Ekin,  F.C.S.,  London  ;  J.  P.  Kay,  Aberdeen. 
Treasurer. — C.  Umney,  F.I.C.,  F.C.S.,  London. 
General  Secretaries.— -S.  Plowman,  F.I.C.,  M.R.C.S.,  London  ;  J.  C. 
Thresh,  D.Sc,  F.C.S.,  Buxton. 
Other  Members  of  Executive  Committee.—^.  R.  Atkins,  Salisbury;  J.  A. 
Bell,  Hastings  ;  J.  Borland,  F.C.S.,  F.R.M.S.,  Kilmarnock  ;  J.  E.  Brunker, 
M.A.,  Dublin;  W.  Hills,  F.C.S.,  London;  D.  B.  Dott,  F.R.S.E.,  Edin- 
burgh; W.  A.  H.  Naylor,  F.C.S.,  London;  J.  Sim,  Aberdeen;  W.  H. 
Symons,  F.C.S.,  F.R.M.S.,  London. 
Local  Secretary. — A.  Strachan,  Aberdeen. 
Auditors.— H.  J.  Joseph,  Hastings,  and  J.  Paterson,  Aberdeen. 
Hearty  votes  of  ihanks  were  then  given  to  the  Local  Committee,  espe- 
cially mentioning  the  names  of  Messrs.  Bell,  Rossiter,  Keyworth,  and 
Joseph,  and  a  similar  vote  having  been  enthusiastically  given  to  the  Presi- 
dent, the  business  proceedings  of  the  Conference  for  1884  terminated. 
An  hour  afterwards  a  company  of  about  sixty  sat  down  to  dinner,  at  which 
they  were  favored  with  the  presence  of  the  Mayor.  After  dinner  the  toasts 
were  limited  to  "The  Pharmaceutical  Conference,"  "The  Town  of  Hast- 
ings "  and  "  The  Local  Committee."  When  these  had  been  responded  to, 
the  rest  of  the  evening  was  devoted  to  music  and  conversation. 
Provided  that  the  weather  be  fine  an  excursion  is  usually  a  most  agreeable 
adjunct  to  the  Conference  meeting,  and  this  year  it  was  perfection.  On 
Wednesday  morning  a  party  of  about  one  hundred  ladies  snd  gentlemen 
