OCTOBER, I 95 I Obituary Vol. 76 No. 907 WALTER COLLINGWOOD WILLIAMS WALTER COLLINGWOOD WILLIAMS died on April 5th, 1951, in his 89th year; by his death the Society has lost probably the last of the original pioneers in “blazing the trail” of the public analyst. He was apprenticed to one of the London Guilds and, after serving his full term, he studied at London University, obtaining his BSc. degree with honours in chemistry and physics. He then attended Mason College, Birmingham, and was elected Associate of the College in 1884. On leaving Birmingham he became an assistant to Dr. J. Campbell Brown and shortly afterwards was appointed, jointly with Dr. Brown, Public Analyst for Lancashire, Liverpool and several boroughs. On the death of his chief in 1910 he became whole time Public Analyst for Lancashire, a post which he held until his retirement in 1926.He became a Fellow of the Institute of Chemistry in 1893; he joined the Society in the same year and served for two periods on the Council. 561562 OBITUARY [Vol. 76 In the early days of his career the post of public analyst had only recently been established. Very little attention had been given to the composition of foods or to the detection of adultera- tion. Hassall had published his classical researches on microscopy applied to foodstuffs, but no corresponding work had appeared relating to analytical investigations. Consequently, in the Lancashire County Laboratory, as in other laboratories, research was carried out to obtain information regarding the composition of foods, the detection of adulteration and to establish limits and standards.Williams threw himself whole-heartedly into this work ; his enthusiasm was such that it stimulated the deep and permanent interest of one of the writers, who served under him. A vast amount of information was accumulated as the years passed, but little or none of it was published, with the exception, it is believed, of a paper on Jamaica rum. Had his policy been to make known the results of his work he would have occupied a much more prominent position than he did in the profession. The mind of Collingwood Williams might aptly be described as a mathematical one. He faced certain types of investigation armed with algebraic equations, much, it would seem, as at a later date and on a grander scale, Einstein did when striving to elucidate the problem of the universe.The analytical results were expected to agree with those derived from the equations or he must know the reason for the divergence. His attitude had something in common with that of Martin Arrowsmith when he said in his prayer, “. . . give me a restless- ness whereby I may neither slumber nor accept praise until my observed results equal my calculated results or, in pious glee, I discover . . . my error.” He manifested the spirit of the true scientist in that he imposed on himself and on his assistants the most severe standards for laboratory work; no pains were spared to arrive at the truth, time being a secondary consideration. He made a thorough study of mistakes, how, why and when they were made and he elaborated strict rules of procedure to guard against errors and detect them.Working under such stringent conditions, with a minimum in the way of encouragement, was, in the case of young assistants, a “chastening” that could scarcely be described as “joyous,” but later on it was much appreciated, particularly by the assistant who, in course of time, became the head of the laboratory. Williams had a very reserved temperament ; and a sense of humour, though very seldom did evidence of it emerge in working hours. In this connection it should, in fairness, be mentioned that, at the period usually regarded as the prime of life, his eyesight began to fail, and it is quite likely that this misfortune emphasised a disposition that had always been retiring. The chief recreation of his active life was mountaineering and he scaled many peaks on the Continent and in Britain. He was very much attracted to a11 mechanical contrivances; microscopy claimed much of his spare time and he attained a wide and thorough knowledge of the subject. In 1949 he presented a badge to the North of England Section for the use of the Chairman -a gift that was gratefully accepted. One of the writers made his acquaintance only a few years before his death, but in that short time derived great pleasure from listening to his reminiscences which appeared to become clearer as sight and hearing failed. N. Heron represented the Society at the funeral service at Anfield Crematorium. He was a devoted member of the Liverpool Microscopical Society. J. R. STUBBS N. HERON