PROCEEDINGS OF THE INSTlTUTE OF CHEMISTRY OF GREAT BRLIL'AIN AND IRELAND, 9, ADELPHI TERRACE, W.C. CHARLES E. GROVEAS,8ecrekct.y. PhH:T 11, 1891. REPORT OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING, 8ALhNCE SHEET FOE 1890, AND ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT, Dr. JAMES BELL, F.li.S.,&c. C 0 N 1’E N T S. PAGE LISTOF OFFICERS AXD Comcrr, ... ... ... ... ;$!I REPORTOF .4NNUAT, GENETLIT,MEETING ... ... 4-11.. ... ... ... -.. 41 BALANCESHEETFOX 1890 ... ... ... ... ... 44 PRESIDENT’SADDRESS ... ... ... ... ... 45 ..f ... ... 52 LIST OF OFFICERS AND COUNCIL FOR 1891, PRESIDENT. W. A. TILDEX, D.Sc., F.R.S.! &c. VICE-PRESIDENTS-J. BELL, C.U., Ph.D., D.Sc., F.R.S. Be 31. CAIKTEIGHE, F.C.S. A. CRUM BlZOJVX, M.D., D.dc., F.R.S.E. FRANKLAXI), D.C.L., F.R.S., &c. W.RANShY, Ph.D., F.R.S., &a T. STEVESSON, M.D., F.C.S., &c. TREASURER. DdVI D €1OJ”r~lRD,F.C. S. 11. A. ADBMS, F.C.S. H. l\lcLEOD, F.R.S., Be. A. 11. ALLEN, F.C.S. E’. J. nl. PAGE, B.s~.,F.C.S. R. BANNISTER, F.C.S. R. T. PLIMPTOY. Ph.D., F.C.S. J. CARTER BELL, F.C.S. 14.SXIITHELLS, B.Sc, F.C.S. J. C. BROWN, D.Sc., F.C.S. C. O’SULLIVAN, F.R.S., &c. 6. E. CASS14L, F.C.S. R. R. TATLOCK, F.C.8. R. H. DAVIES, F.C.S. F. L. TEED, D.Se., F.C.S. TTT. R. DUNSTAN, M.A., F.C.S. J. MILLAR THOMSON, F.C.S. A. DUPRk, Ph.D., F.R.S., CCC. W. THORP, B.Sc., F.C,S. BERNARD DY EH, B.Sc., F.C. Y. T. E. THOHPE, Ph.D., F.R.S., &c. IL. J. FRISWELL, F.C.S. T. TPBER, F.C.S.J. F. HODGES, N.D., P.C.S. E. TIr. VOELCKER, Assoc. R.S.M. J. HUGHES, F.C.S. C. R. A. WRIGHT,D.Xc.,F.R.S., &c. G. H. MAKINS, F.C.S. REGISTRAR AND SECRETARY. C. E, GROY’ES, F.R.S., Brc. 41 REPORT OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING THE FIFTHANNUALGENERALMEETING of the Institute of Chemistry of Great Britain and Ireland incorporated hy Royal Charter, was held at Burlington House, on Monday, the 2nd March, 1891. The BALANCE SHEET(see p. 44.)having been laid before the Meeting by the Treasurer, it was received and adopted. The President then delivered his Address (see p. 45.) The REPORT OF THE COUNCILwas read by the Secretary as follows :-*4t the Annual General Meeting held last year there were 684 Fellows and 97 Associates on the Register. Since then 39 Associates and 22 Fellows have been admitted, 10 of the latter having been raised from the Associateship, whilst 2 Fellows and 1Associate have resigned ; 12 Students have also been admitted.The names of 3 Fellows and 2 Associates have been removed from the Register for non-payment of subscriptions, and we have to lament the decease of eleven of our Fellows, namely, Mr. H. B. Brady, F.R.S., Professor T. Carnelley, Mr. John Collins, Nr. John €3. Hutcheson, Mr. E. Chambers Nicholson, Mr. T. R. Ogilvie, Dr. David Page, Dr. R. Romanis, Dr. Henry Smith, Mr. Alexander Y. Stewart and 3Ir. Henry H. Walker. Tlie names on the Register therefore are now G90 Fellom aiid 123 Associates ; a total increase of 32 Menibers during the past year.In addition there are 14 Stndents on the Register. Thminations were held at six centres in July last, namely, Birmingham, Glnsgow, Manchester, Ileeds, Liverpool and London7 at which 43 Candidates presented themselres. These :ill passed and were suhequeiitly elected Members of the 111st it rite. This is the first Exarniiiation at which it was compnlsory for the Candidates to send in note books duly attested by the Professor’s certificate t,hat the work recorded therein had been performed under his supervision, or that of his assistants. It is hoped that this sjstein, by which candidates are required to submit the notes of work done, to the Board of Exainiriers for inspection, will induce Students not only to adopt a iiiore careful and systematic method of couducting their laboratory ~ork,but also of recording results in their note books.The Board of Esaminers report that the candidates did not appear to be so carefully trained in Qualitative as in Quantitative Analysis, and point out that it is of the highest importance that Candidates for the Associateship should give special attention to Qualitative 9ndysis. Detailed Regulations for the admission to the Associateship of tliose Students of the Institute who are engaged in the practice of Chemistry in the Laboratory of a Fellow of the Institute, have also been issued. These have been prepared in accordance with Par. 2 of the ‘‘ Prospectus of Qualifications required of Candidates for admission to the Institute of Cliein istry as flssocia,tes.’’ The attenipt to form a Benevolent Fund has been iinsuccessful.circnlar vas sent to each Member of the Institute, asking ,4 whether lie was in favour of the fornintion of such a fLInd, but only 1’72 answers were received (froin about one-fifth of the Xenibers), and of these only 130 were in farour of the scheme. As such a fund could only be sllcceisfL1l if it were wcll supported by a large majority of the Xernbers, it was considered unadvisable to proceed further in the matter. Two Committees have been appointed, namely, one, the Coni-‘( mittee on State Chernistry,” and the other tlie ‘‘ Coiiference Committee ” to consider the suggestion made by the President in his Annual Address last year, that one or more Conferences or meetings should be held anunally, to discuss topics of interest to professional chemists.It has been decided to hold two such meetings annually for this purpose. The Council also has again to congratulate the Xernbers on the present satisfactory financial position of the Iiisti tute. The Institute is indebted to the President aud Council of the Chemical Society for the use of their rooins during the past year. The Report of the Council having been receired and adopted, the OFFICERSand COUNCIL for the ensuing year were elected (see p. 39.) Mesars. A. J. Greenamay arid G. N. Stoker, acting as Scrutineers. The CENSORS elected were Mr. David Hen-ard, Dr. James Bell Mr. 11.Carteighe, a,nd Professor T.E. Thorpe Messrs. B. H. Brough, J. Holiues, and F. J. Lloyd, were appointed Ail ditors. INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. INCORPORATEDBY ROYALCHARTER. AT STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT AND BALANCE SHEET, TO 31s~DECENUER,Fnox lsr JAXUARY 1890. I1 $ s. ti. i2 s. tl. 8. ti. Bdance in Hand, 1st January, 1690 W!) 3 7 Printing, Stationery, and Postage .... 176 15 6 SntranceFees ...... .. 57 15 0 Advertisinen t s .......... 21 19 9 Life Conipos. ...... .. 37 1ti 0 Rent, Office, and Miscellaneous Expenses .. 81 16 8 95 11 0 Fees to Examiners, and Exaiiiination Expenses 208 12 8 644 Fellows' Subscriptions .. .. 676 4 0 Salaries and Wages ........ 178 0 0 108 Associates' ,, .. .. 113 8 0 Purchase of $1,000 Consols ......956 5 6 13 Student's Registration Fees .. 1 12 6 Cash in London and Westminster Bank, 31st 791 4 6 Dee., 1890 .......... 440 2 8 lnterest ........ .. 161 11 7 Examination Fees .... .. 8G 2 0 ~ $2,063 13 8 %2,063 12 8 ssscts. ziitMitics. December 3lst, 1890, Cash at Bank ....2440 2 S December 31st, 1890 ........ None I, ,, ~6,00022"I, Consols Audited arid found correct, H. J. HELM, H. BILOUGEI, .Jan. Wnil, 1891. BENNETT Fne~,.J. LLOYD. THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. I HE proceedings of the Institu'te during the past year hare been comparatively uneventful, so that, on this the last occasion of my occupying the Presidential chair, I have T'ery few matters of special interest to bring before you. It will be observed from the Report of Council that the Institute continues to make steady progress, and, I think, I may fairly venture to coiigrntnlate the Fellows upon its satisfactory position.The total increase in the number 011 the register amounts to 33, as compared with 13 last year, and 43 candidates presented themselves for examination, against 25 in tJie previous year. There is a notable contrast betwen the results of the last two examinations. In the year before last nearly 30 per cent. of' those who presented themselves for examination were rejected, while last year the whole of the 43 candidates who submitted themselves to the examination, came up to the standard of' our requirements, arid were passed by the Roarcl of Examiners. It seems not unreasonable to infer from these results that the Institute is already beginning to make itself felt by acting as a stimulus to chemical students in pursuing their studies.Of course, to accomplish this, was one of the aims and objects of the Institute, by setting up a fairly high standard of scientific and practical proficiency, and, I think, ;you mill agree with me, that in the interests of professional chemists, the tendency should be to raise rather than relax this standard. It is gratifying to find from the Treasurer's Report that the state of our finances is satisfactory, and that during the past year PREBIDEXT'S ADDRESS. there is an escess of iiicoiiie over expenditure of 2.371. Excluding Entrance Pees and Life Compositions, the total sum derived from the three sources of income, iianielyy, annual subscriptions, fees on examination and interest on capital, amounts to g1,038, while the total expense during the Fear has reached g667. The state oi the finances of the Iristitnte iiiust aln-ays be a subject of interest to us all, and have ail important claim upon our coil- sideration ; and it is undoubtedly ;L iimtter of great satisfaction that, notwitlistanding the heavy expeiise of ohtainiug o~ir Charter, our capital now amounts to upwards of six thousand pouuds.Without the accumulation of funds we sliould probably still be mithout our Charter, and without the requisite means at our corninand, ITe should more than likely €ail in securing in the future some of the great aims and olJjects uf our Association.The Institute, it appears, has lost eleven Fellows by death during the past year. Among these losses I cannot help referriiig especially to the decease of Professor Carnelly at the cow-paratively early age of 38. Re was a inan of considerable pro- mise, and had deservedly gained a liigli reputation as a scientific chemist, partly froin the results of his labours in the field of organic research, and partly i'roiu the work which he did in developing the periodic system of Kewlaiids and Mendelkeff. In my first address two years ago I ventured to make the following observations :-" I believe it would tend greatly to '' enhance the feeling of good-fellomhip and give a stimulus to '' scientific work, if an outlet were pr0.i-ided for what appears to "be a strong lateiit desire, which might be found to be very "general, to bring before the mliole body of Fellows, in some ('public manner, questions of high scientific interest or public " utility.It might be that in this my the Institute would '(attain a degree of visibility iu a short time which it mould ''otherwise take years to accomplish. I 117011lcl riot suggest that PR F:P IDENT' S ADDRESS. '' frequent meetings slionld be held ; but that a yearly gathei-ing "of the iuembers shonld be conrenecl, lasting two or more ditys, '' according to tlie necessity of the case, when papers would be iwtd '' and discussed, and appropriate reports of the same published " in the form of ' Proceedings.' " In consequence of the suggestion Khicli I thus nmde, a Committee was appointed to consider the desirability of holding an Aiinual Neeting of'the Fellows for the purpose of readirig and discussing papers on varioris topics of interest to professional chemists.In the coiirse of the cleliberatioris of the Committee, it mas thought by some of the Members that the Institute might be made to afford increased advantages to the Fellows by the holding of regular periodical Meetings, as some similar societies do, for reading and discussing srialytical and other papers, and by the publication of the same in zi monthly journal of Proceedings of the Institute. Regarding the forin the question had assumed as of great importance, I took tile opportunity of placing the matter in all its bearings before the Fellows in my address last year, and subsequently ascertai tied as far as practicable their views on the subject, with the result that opinion appeared to be much divided with regard to tlie propriety of the proposal.The matter had been under the consideration of the Couiicil for a considerable period, and every aspect of the question was carefull? discussed ; in the end tlie decision arrived at was practically that the interests of the Institute ~ouldbe best served by adhering to the original lines of 11 qualifying and registering body. It was unanimously agreed, however, that it woulcl be desirable to hold two sessional Meetings of the Xembers each year, at which subjects of interest to professional chemists co~ild be brought forward for consideration and discussion in the form of papers or otherwise.PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. It is contemplated, if p~~cticable, to arrange for the first of these Meetings in the month of May next, and it is hoped that Fellows will show their interest in and appreciation of the Institute by doing their utmost to make tlie first Meeting a siiccess. It will be in the recollection of the Fellom that in my address on the 1st March, 1889,I was able to announce that, after a long, patient, and exhaustive discussion of the question of the general training of candidates for the admission to the Practical Esaniina- tion for the Associateship, the Council had unanimously agreed to a scheme which was aftern-artls issued in the forin of a new Pro- spectus, by which every Candidate was required to produce eridence that ''he lias passed satisfactorily through a sptematic course of "at least three years' study in the subjects of Theoretical and '( Practical Chemistry, Physics, and Elementary Mathematics, in '' any one or inore of the Universities or chartered or incorporated '' Colleges or Schools approved by the Council ; or that he has '( been engaged for four years in the practice of Chemistry in the "Laboratory of a Fellom of the Institute, during at least tno gears '* of wliich time he has been elitered as a Student of the Institute "and has regularly attended systematic courses of instruction in " the said subjects at such University, College or School." In consequence of the alternatire course of training provided herein, iL became necessary for the Council last year to draw up and issue regulations for the admission to tlie Associateship of Students of the Iristitute who are engaged in the practice of Chemistry in the laboratory of a Fellow.The consideration of the subject raised afresh the vexed question of' the exclusive training in practical Chemistry in the laboratories of Fellows, but the opinion of the majority of the Council was, that the requisite train- ing could not be satisfactorily afforded and guaranteed in private laboratories, and that it was for the best interests of tlie Institute, PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS.and of its present and prospective members, that a portion, at least, of the training in practical chemistry should be insisted upon at some recognized University, College, or School. The regula- tions filially adopted may be regarded as somewhat in the nature of a compromise, which will be seeu from the fact that the systematic attendauce for instruction in practical chemistry is liinited to three days in each neek, and not lesi than five hours eacli day during two academic years. It is believed that this system of training? if rigidly carried out, and the instruction of the Student is i*easonably attended to in the Laboratory of a Fellow, will prove adequate to maintain the standard of scientific and practical proficiency aimed at by the Institute for the elevation of ‘‘ the profession of Consulting and Analytical Clieniistry.” It is earnestly to be hoped that the regnlations as nov arranged and adopted, will be loyally accepted by all parties, as a final settlement of the question for the present.It cannot be iiiiyreesed too strorigly upon the minds of Fellows, that one of the fuudamental objects of the Institute is to ensure tliat all persons becoining successively Sssociates and Fellows, shall have undergone a thoroughly efficient scientific training, and that if the Council adopted regulations which mould not accoinplisli this end, they would be untr:ae to the principles upon which the Institute was fonnded. It must be admitted that practically we are not in a position, at present, to offer any exclusive rights in lieu of the sacrifice of individnal interests, but you may rely upon it, that whether successfui or unsuccessful in obtaining compulsory powers, the Fellomhip of the Institute will become sooner or later a necessity to the Professional Chemist. With the daily growing importance of the profession of Analytical and Consulting Chemistry to the public, a guarantee tliat persons entering the chemical profession possess both it practical and scientific knorledge of their professional work, will become in time a necessity, and 5 0 PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS.the Institute, which is erido.cved witli nuthoiai ty to grant certifjcates of conil!etencj-, is the only body properly constitutetl to undertake such a function.Tt is both tbe riglit and the province of the Institute to take the initiatire in this direction, and to watcli for R suitable oppoi-tiinity to endenronr to secure statutory conipulsory poll-ers for the registration of a11 przwtising analytical chemists, or their enrolment as Fellon s of the Institute of Chemistry. The Local Government Board, as you are probably aware, admits the Fellowship of the Jnstitute as sufficient evidence of qualification as an hudytical Chemist, and leaT-es us to see tliwt all q"Jified practising Analytical Chemists are Fellom, and illis the Iiistitute inwt sooner or later try and accomplish by the aid of Parliament. In viow of this, it is important that the Institiite s110111d maintain a high staudarcl of scientific attainmeuts, and an unim-peachable system of training, as: in the interest of the public, Parliament n-onld look iu this direction for guaraiitccs for satis-factory professiorial qualifications.There has bcen a groving feeling that the Institute has riot talien proper steps to put itself in touch vith the Fellon.s, and that it has largely neglected one of its functions to look after the personal interests of Professional Chemists. It is difficult to say how far the Institute has beeii at fault in this respect, but the Council has alvays shown the greatest desire to assist Fellow in cases where they could see their Fay to usefully interpose. It must be admitted that it should be the function of the Institute to lend its moral support to Fellows in maintaining their rights, and to advise and assist them in matters of difficulty.The Institute should also co-operate with Fellows in watchiug and scrutinising the difkrent appointments of Public Aiialysts or Chemical Ad risers iiinde by County Councils, Corporations or other public bodies to prevent as far as possible chemical posts being filled by unqualified men to the prejitdice of prolwly qualified candidates. The Council to give proof of its desire to assist the Fellows in every legitimate my, and to look after the interests of the clieinical profession, has appointed a special Cornmi ttee eiit itled ‘‘ A. Committee of State Chemistry,” to deal with all matters o€ the kind above indicated, and it is to be hoped that their labours will be rewarded by beneficial resuIts to the Fellow generally.It is matter of regret that the attempt to establish a Benevo- lent Fund in connection Kith the Institute has proved unsuccessful. The result of the appeal to the Fellons and Qssociates on the subject was highly disappointing, and showed the absence of any desire on their part, at present, to assist, in carrying out the project. Of the 781. Fellows and ,kssociates to 117iion1 a circular was sent only 172 replied, and of these there were only 130 in favour of the formation of the proposed Fund. The project! is oiie which should not be allowed to drop, for sooner or later the establishment of‘ a Benevolent Fund in conzlectioii with the Institute must bezoiiie a necessitj, aid the Council should not be cIis!ieartened at one or more failures in their appeal to the Nembers.Although niy tenure of ofice as your President is coming to an end with the close of these observations, my interest in the welfare and progress of the Institute will coiitiuue as earnest and intense in the future as it has been in the past. Xy term of office has not been -without its dificulties and responsibilities, but my burden has been made comparatively easy lsjr the kind and hearty good-will xith which the successive Councils have assisted and loyally supported me, and I desire to thank one and PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. all for their invaluable support, aud for the considerate way in which they have always received my views, and regarded niy efforts to promote the interests of the Institute.I can look back with pleasing recollectioiis upon many inci-dents in connection mitli my relations, both with the Council and with the riienibers of the Institute generally, and I should be wanting in gratitude if I did not tender niy hearty thanks to the latter for the indulgence and generous feeling which they have uniformly shown towards me. With united effort and combined action, the continued success of the Institute is a certainty, and as a last word from this chair, I would implore all those who are engaged in the rnanage- ment of its affairs to sink a11 purely personal interests, and devote themselves tlioronghly to the development and adrance- ment of the Institute; and I am happy to know, that in the President who has been nominated you mill have the adyantage of a gentleman nho possesscs these feelings and sentiments in an eminent degree.Dr. Tilden's admirable qualities are Tell known to iiiost of us as a colleague on the Council, and I feel sure he, as your President, will be animated by only one feeling, that is, an earnest desire to maintain the dignity of the Institute, and to promote its best interests. OBITUARIES. It will be seen from the Report of Council that the Iiistitute has lost eleven Fellom during the past year. The iiaiues of the deceased Fellows are-H. E. I3rady) T. Carnelly, John Collins, ,J. 13. Hutcheson, E. Chanilsers Nicholson, T. R. Ogilvie, David Page, R.Ronianis, Heury Smitli, Alexander Y. Stewart, arid IIcnry 11. 15'all;ei.. Sliort notices of :om of' these are appended. PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS. HmitY BOWMAN LL.D., F.R.S., F.C.S., F.G.S., F.Z.S., BRADY, was born at Nenrcastle-on-Tyne, i:i 1835. After apprenticeship to a pharmaceutical chemist at Leeds, from 1855 to 1876 he carried on the business of manufacturing and pharmaceutical chemist in Newcastle. He was a Member of the Council, and one of the Examiners of the Pharmaceutical Society, and besides contributing importaut papers to the Phar-mitctdicai! Journal, he was the originator of the Pharmaceutical Congress, and its President in 1872. On his retirement from active business life he conducted extensive biological researches, becoming the chief authority in this country on recent and fossil Foraminifera.His chief work tl-as the Report on the Foraminifera, collected on the ‘(Challenger ” expedition in 1873-6. This report, covering 814 quarto pages, and illustrated by 115 plates, is the standard work of reference on the subject. l>r. Brndy was a Fellow Gf many Scientific Societies both in England and abroad. He served as Member of the Council of the Royal Society, and in 1888 he received the honorary degree OP LL.D. from the University of Aberdeen ;in the same year the Emperor of Austria presented him with the Gold Medal for Arts and Sciences, the highest order that a scientific man can receive in that empire. Of late years Dr. Brady suffered from ill-health, which trarel in all parts of the world failed to alleviate.His death occurred at Bournemouth on January 10th of this jear. TKO;?IIASCABNELLY,D.Sc., F.C.S., mas born in 1852. He received his education at Uiiiversity College, London, and was subsequently appointed Demonstrator arid Assistant Lecturer at the Oneus College, Manchester, where he was for some years. When Firth College, Slieffield, was founded, he became Professor of Chemistry there, and remained until his appointment to the chair of Chemistry at Dundee. On the death of Professor Brazier, at Aberdeen, lie again moved, succeeding him in the Professorship at that University. 13;c died suddenly 0x1 the 27th August, 1890. PRESIDES T’S AIIDRESS. Professor Cartielly had esteuded his investigations into inany branches of Chemistry arid the allied sciences.The records of organic and inorganic chemistryv, chemical physics, and sanitary science, all bear evidence of liis ingenuity and skill, hit of late years he liad devoted hi rnself more especially to the derelopments Gf the periodic system of ~ewlands and Mendeleeff, and in furtherance of this object, liad riot oiily undertaken a most laborious worB in compiling a list of the physical constants already published, hib had niaterially added to this by his own investigations. He is a loss to tlic Institute and to the scientific world at large. JOEIN F.C.S., was born Spril lOtli, 1848, atB. HUTCHESON, lhiiioori, aiid receil-ed his education at the school of the village.He sabseqaently went to the laboratory of Thomas Anderson, tlieii Professor of Chemistry at Glasgow Uiiiwrsity, and ultimately became one of his assistants. In 1869 lie left the University aid eiltered the Turkey-red works of Mews. Inglis and TTr&efield, near Glasgom, as their chemist. In 1871 he again returned to Professor L4ndersoii as assistnn t, and when Nr. John Ferguson siicceeded to tlie Professorship in 18’74, Mr. Hutcheson was appointed oiie of tlie official assistants, remaining at the Uiiirersity until his death oii April Isth, 1890. He left a wife and four children. He was a successful teacher and a good analyst. EDWARDCHAMBEINXIcirorsoN, F.C.S., whose greatest dis- coveries were coincident with tlie earlier stages of progress of the coal-tar colour industry, was Lorn in January, 1827, at Lincolti, the seventh son of tlie late Robert Nicholson, of Lincoln and 3laidenhend.Owing to the ded,li of liis mother in the following gear, he was, during boyhood, placed under the care of his aur,t, Miss Chambers, of South Car!ton, Ilincolnshire. When ten years of age, he as sent to Tlr. Beesley‘s scliool at Uxbridge, and after completing his education there, was placed for a time with a PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS. 5.5 chemist and druggist at Andover, from dience lie was trans-ferred to the laboratory of Mr. Lloyd Rnllock, in Conduit Street, London. In October, 1845, young Nic1~olso11entered as one of the first students the ncn.ly-opcned laborstories of tlic Roy:d College of Chemistry, under 111..A. W. Hofmann, haring for contemporaries Messrs. Abel, Bloxarn, De la Rue, Gallo\~ay, Rovney, and Geurgc Simpson. He was soon promoted to be an Assistant, and helped the Professor ill some of his earliest researches. Later, in 1818, he piiblished, conjointly with his friend F. A. Abel, an elaborate memoir on strychnine and it,s salts, by which the true constitution of this organic base was satisfactorily determined. Mr. Eicholson remained at the College until 1850, when tic: accepted an engagement offered hiin by Messrs. Fotliergill & Go., of Aberdare, to investigate the chemistry of iron making. Here he made riunierous cxperiments, conjointly with Dr. David Price, 011 the products of the hot and cold blast and refinery furiiilces, but as forced to give up the n-ork by a bad attack of typhoid fever, whicli indiiced his return to London.Then, shortly afterwards, iii 1853, when sufficiently recovered, lie joined his friends, B4essrs. Siinpson and Maale, of Kennington Road, and helped to start the chemical factory at Lock’s Fields, Walworth. Here he introdaced improvements in the manufacture of p~”’ogallol,ether, colIodion, &c., and the firm afterwards turned their attention to aniline and the coal-tar colours, which necessitated the building of a lwger factory at Hackney Wick. During this period Nr. Sictiolson discovered the arsenic acid process of man~~filctluriligmagenta, but found himself anticipated by eight days by 1)r.Henry Medlock’s patent of January 18th, lSG0, n-liich his firm after-war& purchased. The three large CIYIWIIS of crystalliaed rosanilitie acetate shown in the International Exhibition of 1862 cscited PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. universal admiration ; but the discovery of chrysaniline yellow, of the lower phenylated products of rosaniline, Alexandra violet, regina, &c., and the mode of rendering soluble tlie spirit dye known as Girard's blue by a process of sulphonation in two stages, giving either the pure solubk blue for silk, or Nicholson blue for wool, were amongst his greatest technical achievements. In August, 1868,Mr. Xicholson finally retired from his active cliemical labours, but took a continued interest in the progress of scientific discovery.He was an original member of the Society of Chemical Industry, and a Fellow of the Chemical Society. On the 23rd October last he died of cancer, in the sixty-fourth year of his age, leaving his widow and a numerous circle of friends to mourn his loss. DAVIDPAGE,M.D., F.C.S., the eldest son of the late Dr. David Page, Professor of Geology in the College of Science, Newcastle-on-Tyne, ms born in Edinburgh in the year 1846. Jle was at the University of Edinburgh from 1862 to 1864, n-orking part of the time with Sir Ljon Playfair, the Professor of Chemistry there. On leaving, he went to the Gunpowder Mills of Messrs. Wakefield & Co., near Kendal for a time, and then re-entered the University and became oneof the most distinguished medical students ol his tirne, taking no fewer than 15 gold medals in mrious subjects.Shortly afterwards he was appointed Medical Officer of Health for the County of Westnioreland, and diiring his tenure of offlce he effected many beueficial sanitary reforms in the district. He nest entered the Civil Service as one of the medical officers under the Local Government Board, Whitehall, and became Vaccination Inspector for the Korthern Counties of England. In 1889 he was appointed the External Examiner in Medical Jurisprudence in the Unirersity of Edin-burgh. He died of tumour on the brain on 20th February, 1890, leaving a widow and seven children. PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS. 1)r. Page was a man of great energy, his analytical work being executed not only with extreine care and accuracy, but very rapidly.He possessed considerable literary skill, and wiis at one time on the Staff of Abstractors of the Journal of the Chemical Society. ROBERTROMANIS,L).Sc., F.C.S.,Chemical Examiner to tlie Burma Governin~nt and Professor at the Rangoon College, was born in 1854. He mas educated first at Edinburgh University, where he took the degree of L).Sc., and subsequently ill Gelmany. He was at one time 011 the teaching staff of Clifton College, but shortly afterwards weut out to Burma, where he became Science Master at tlie Rangoon High School, subsequently the Rangoou College. He died sriddenly of cholera in its most acute form. 1)uriug the Hurmese War lie was on tlie Staff of General Yrendergast, and mde a special report on the resources of the recently acquired territory.HENRYSNITH, M. I)., London, Barrister-at-Law. We have to record the death of Ilr. Heiiry Smith st Paris, on Friday, tlic 20th Jiiiic, 1890. He was born at Plumstead, in Icelit, oii tlie 15th November, 1857, and was, tlierefore, in his 33rd year. He was educated at tlie City of Loncloii School, aud having decided to study niedicine, entered at, St. ~artliolomew’s Hospital, where, after obtuining tlie Wix arid Bciitley Prizes, he became L.S.A. in 18i9, a M.R.C.S. in 1881, and in the saiiie pear took the M.B. degree of tlie University of London, and in 1886 the M.U. degree froin tlie same University. During these years he filled some of the most iinportant resident medical appointments iu London, being successively house physician to tlie Hospital for Consumption, &c., Broinptou, Iioiise physician to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, house surgeon, arid subsequently, house physician to tlie Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street.During his residence at the PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS. latter Hospital the first sjmptons of the disease manifested them-selves, from which he nltiinately died, and it is a matter of great rcgret to all that he did not at once take a long voyage, but his services had been so eminently successful in the afore-mentioned offices, and so warmly appreciated by all with whoiii he had been brought in contact, that he was reluctant to leave London and forego the advantages he had gained.His attention was now specially directed to public health questions, and he took tlie Diploma in Public Health from the Uni- versity of Cambridge, and was elected a Fellow of the Iustitute of Cliemistry ; he n.as appointed Public Analyst for Woolwich and for Plumstead, and deputy medical Officer of Health for the latter place. In 1887 he was ca,lled to the Bar at Lincoln’s Inn. Unfortunately tlie dread disease, consumption, from which lie suffered slowly but snrely made headway, and in 1888, having to seek a more coilgenial atinosphere than that found in London, he went first to Bastings, and in January, 1890, to IT-Iykres; he was on his way home, when he died in Paris, only reaching that city on the morning of his death.Dr. Henry Smith JWS a ma11 of much coninion sense, of keen perception and great ability, kind hearted and sympathetic, greatly beloved and greatly regretted by all who knew him, and who had every reason to believe his career would have been eminently successful. His remains were brouglit to England and buried at the Kea I’luwstead Cemetery, on Friday, tlie 27th June, 1890. IIis biirial being the first in the Cemetcry wliicli Itis father, as Chair-iiitiii of the Burial lSoard, liad done so inucli to pi*omote.