摘要:

INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY GREAT BRITAIN & IRELAND, PRESIDENT’S INAUGURAL ADDRESS, ATovumbep 6th: 1885. INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY. PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS. THEINSTITUTEOF CHEHISTRY,as a now existing association, only cnine into being on the 13th day of June of the present year, 1885, when some four hundred of 11s were iiicorporated by Royal Charter into a body politic, under tlie naiiie of the Iiistitute of Chemistry of Great Britaiii aid Irelaiid ; aiid rere entrnsted by the charter of our incorporation, alike Kith certain privileges and with certain public duties aiid respoiisibili tiex But although aR an association 110w in being, we mi claim an existence of but a few short iiioiitlis’ duratioii, it is not merely for so brief a period as this, that a clefiiiite bond associating 11s with one another in a coni1iioii work, has replaced that informal tie of friendly co-opera- tion which, aiiioiig the seniors of oiir Imly aid aiiioiig tlieir elders and predecessors, can bc traced back for tlie distance of fully lialf a century.It chanced indeed about niiie or ten Sears ago, as a consequence of occurreiices tIieii taking place, that ;I loiig pent iip feeling of dissatisfnclioii at the deficiency aiiioiig 11sof nieaiis for exertiug a comiiioii action and iiiflueiice, begaii to manifest itself in a plaiuly ontspokeii way. As an outcoine of this feeling, a inoreiiieiit set on foot, more especidly by the yromipcr nieni-bers of our craft, for bringing about a clefiiiite orgniiisation of professional chemists.This mowment, Ti tli which Dr. Pl’iIIIk-land, who had long been impressed with a sense of the deficieiicy, very early identified liimsell; soon found in hini its 1egitiiii;l)te leader. After much considel-atioii of varions proposed means for carrying out the object desired, a Blenioranduiii of Association as at lciigtli dran-11 1111 ; mid ewntually, on the 21icf clay of Octobcir, 187i, a~idfollowing dity or two, some linndred aud fifty of 11s were definitely iucorportitccl nndcr hticles of Asscciation, iii accordance with tlie pi.ovisioiis of tlie C‘oii1panies’ Act of I SGi ; and n-ei’e registered by the same name that has been lint so liitely accorded aiiem to our 1)ody by Royal Charter. Of tjllc circumst:uices attending the foriiiatioii of tliis original Iiiatitutc of Chemistry, a fidl account is giren in lh.Fn~iik1:~nd’spresiden-tial address, deliT-ercd at tlie first general meeting of tlie Iiisti tiite, held 011 February lst, ISi8, the iiienihers at that time coiisisting of 7 Associates and -325 Fellow.The original Institute of Chemistry existed, prospered, :itid carried on its wcrk for l)ctween seren and eiglit ymrs ; nntil at a general meeting of the ~iiciiil)~rs, held on tlie 24th of April of the prcsciit year, a, special rcsolutioii was passed requiring that the Iiistitnte founded in 1877, slionld, with a view to re-incorporation on a niorc s;itisfactory footing, be voluntarily wound up ; ancl in accordaiice v-itli this reso1utiori, it was definitely m-ound np and ceased to exist on the Sotli of’ June last, 1885, although, indeed, certain ceremonial observances per- taining to its ol)seqnies ha~ecimi yet to he pcrfoimed.At the time of its dissolution on .June ;3otli, the original Imtitute of Chemistry consisted of 23 Associates, iiiost of whom liad been snbjectcd to examinations conducted by the Institnte, mid of 403 Fellon-s, soiiie few of wliom had passed through the yde of Associat cslii1). The origiiial Insti tiite had the advantage of being pioneered dnririg the early days of its existence by its first President, ancl it might almost be said founcler, Jh. Frai~klanil. After liini suc-ceeded one nlio had all along taken an active part and intei*e.;tin its orcanisation niid lyelfare, Sir Frederick Abel, to whose loyal and jnt’licious action as President, tlic then Iiisti tute was largely indcbted during R period of its csistence nlien its sti*eiigtli was not fully nswred, and when.the ontlonrst of entliusiasm to which it ou ecl its origi 11 aiid carlp prosperity had in some menssnre, at least, cooled ITS EARLY HISTORY. down. On tlie teriiiiiiatioii of Sir Freclericl; dbel's three years teiinre of office, I was selected to occupy the position so notably well filled by my two predecessors, m-hose contiuned interest in the work of the Council, aid alike iicver-failiiig personal co-opera-tion with me ia tlie alivays respousible, and at times, ansious duties of tlie position to R*l1icli I siicceeded, it is oiit of my pon-er sufficieiitly to acl;iio~~.ieclge.JVitli iiiy presidency, the origiiial Iiistitute of Cheiiiistrj-, as a particnlar corporate society, has conic to an end, and the present Iiistitute, as a teclinically new cor-poratioii, lias come iiito esisteiicc. But though teclinically R iiew corporation, the present Institute is in reality a coirtinuatioii and cle~-elopiiientof the origiiial asso- cintion. Hy a resolntioii of tlic eipiriiig Institntc, its property was made over to the iresent Institute: niid 1)ya imvision of tlie Royal Charter iiicorporati~ig the preseiit liisti tute, the menilrers of the origiiinl Inqtitnte are coiistitutecl tlie first memlws of the piwent Iiistitutt~: aiid the Pi*esideiit, Officers, atid Xerrihers of Council of the origiiid liistj tiite arc constituted respectively tlic first President, Oficers, and 3IeiiiLers of Couiicil of the present Institute, and are charged with pon-er and anthority to carry 011 the work of the yreseiit Iiistitritc according to the rules aid cw-toilis of the original Institute, uiitil the Bye-lan-s of tlie present Institute haTe beeii settled at a geiieral meeting of the inembeis, aiid have heeii subiiiitted to, and allon-ed by, tlie Imds of I€er Nkjesty's Privy Council.In coiinectioii with this subject, it may he well to iiieiitioii tlmt a iiieetiiig of the Coiuicil of the present Institute, being as aforesaid tlie persons who constituted tlic last Council of the origiiml Iustitute, was held a n-eel; ago on tlie pw-ticnlar day appointed in the Gliarter for their first meeting, zainelg on the last Friday in October, aiid that4at this Coniicil iiieetiiig, the subject of framing draft Bye-laws for the Institute, to IJe aftern-ads snbinitted to a general meeting of the iiienibew, wis actiyely taken iii hand ; for uiitil our code of I3ye-laivs has beell settled by a specially eoiir-ened general iiieetiiig, 1)eeii co~ifirtnedhy a stibseqneut generd meeting, aid been saiictioiiecl by the Jlortls of the Council, no fresh election of President, Officers, and Mein-bers of Coiincil of the Iiistitiite can wlidly be held.INSTITUTE OP CIIEMIISTRY. By the attainment of ow incorporation by Royal Charter, in lieu of the Articles of Association by which we hare, until now, hen banded together, n-e become for the first time an officially recog-nised professiorial body, knon-n officially to Government, aiid both to mutiicipal, aid to other professional bodies.Fnrtlier than this, we have had formal ackiiowledgeiiierit made of our fitness to be charged with certain pnblic duties aiid respo1isit)ili tics, and haw established our clairii to be entrusted with correlative rights and privileges. Our profession, tlie pnblic utility atid iiiiportaiice of whicti liax, in this my, received at length so formal a recogni-tion, is oiie that we may all of 11s feel a just pride in beloiigiiig to. It is certainly not vith bated brcat,li that we need speak of ourselres as professioiinl chemists.Clieniistry, indeed, as a braiich of knoxledge, pertains not alone to the student, but exists also for the practitioner, and still inore for ttie pnblic. Of esceptioiial interest as a snhject of study, it is of scai-cely less interest from its miluifo!d practical a1)plicntioiis, ant1 as il contributor to the daily wants aiid enjoyments of tlie commiinity ;-a comiiiuuity in wliich all are bomd lip with one another, and are ~i~iileroblign-tioii to render services to oiie anotlier. ?\'on-adnps, tlie ever extending ;nid increasiiigly coiiiples wants of tlic commruiity clueate a greater and greater deliland for -&it are kiio\rn as pro-fessional scrviccs, and for profes3ional services of a kind and extent that cannot be rendered 1)y the paisoii, or the doctor, or tlie lawyer ; or yet I)y the minterir eiigiiieer, or the mateur electrician, or the amateur clie~iiist.It is the coinpeteii t services of profcs ;iorial men, specitilly traiiied iii their s::verd departments, that are alone adeqnate, and are done :becordiiigdy in request. To the trained pi*ofession:~l clieniiet, as to otlier professional men, interests of occasionally enormous value are coiiiriiitted; and some notion of the consitler;ition in wliich his ~orkis held ninj be gathered froiii the estetisive resort had e~erywliereto his sm-ices, even 1)y the great departments of state aiid by tlie most renonncd and impor-tant of iiiutiicipal ilud otlier corporations. Ainoiig governinent departments, tlie War Ofice, the Ho~iie Office, the Board of Trade, the Local Go~ernnieiitUoard, arld the Board of 3nl:iud Ikvenue, 1iaw each their respectire permanently attaclied stafTs of professional chemists, with whom from time to time, iu relation to special siil)jtcts of enquiry, other chemists of WORK OF THE I'ROFESSIOSAL CHEMIST.distiiictioii are associated. Aiiiong corporatioils aiid pl&c iiisti- t~;lt,ionsof all sorts, tlie City of Loidoii, the filetropolitaii Board of Works, most of the great provincial Corporations and Local Boards, the Royal Jfiiit, the Houses of Parliament, the Elder Brethren of the Trinity House, the Thames Coiiser~aiicyv, the Itojal A4gricultural Society, the great Gas aid Water Companies, the different Ifetroplitaii T'estries aiid Local Boards, and iiiaiiy more sncli bodies, have recoiri-se alike to the regnlar services of tkir permaiieii tly attached professional cbemists, arid to the snp- pieiiientary serrices of various ohielx aiiiong us ~lioiii they find it iiecessary to call into coiisnltatiou froin time to tiriie.Atid of yet greater extent as a whole, is the 1iabitii;d resort that is had to the services of the 1)rofessioiial clieiiiist by ruercaiitile aiid iiiann-facturiiig firiiis aud associations, engaged in aliiiost e1-ei.y variety of coiniiierce, iiiaiiidacture, and indnstrial enterprise. Alike, then, by the great departments of state, arid by coiiimercial firiiis of world-wide reiion'ii, :tiid by traders aiid producers occuppiiig a less distiiiguislicd positiou, the mnltifarions serT-ices of the chemist are ever in request.Aiid in respect to onrselves, i)y wl~oiiithese services are reiidered, froiii those of 11s occupjing tlie leading posi-tioiis in the l)rofessioii, to tlie most limiible iiidi~iduals practisi~ig in our ranks, n-e are all associated in R coriiiiioii work, and have all a couiiiioii credit to inaiti tain, and are all uiider mutual obligation to co-operate with aiid advance the interests of one another. It n-onld seem, however, froiii obserrations iiot unft~eqnently hazarded by some very superior persons, whose happy. iiiissioii it is to put the rest of the n-orld to riglits, that tliere is somethiiig derogatwy to tlie 111;~ii of scicuce iii making his scieiice silb-servieiit iii aiiy way to the rec1nireriients of liis t'ello\m, and thereby contribntory to his om-ii nieatis for tlie support of liiinself and of those depending npou hiiii. NOW,on this not ~~ncoiiiirioii cant of the day, a, little plain speaking n-ould seem to be rery mnch w-aiited.While tlie investigation of nature aiid the interpretation of natural law are adiiiittedly ainong tlie highest, as they are ainoug the iiiost delightful of hnaii occnpations, tlie riglit application of natural law to effect desirable objects is in itself a scarcely less vortliy occnpatioii ; uiany of these objects being of parainount iiiiportauce, and attaiiiahle viilg by the exercise of high scientific sapcity aid skill, aided by a f'ertility of resource arid n persistent ITSSL’ITC’T E 0L*’ C’II EJt ISTIt Y.e1:tstic.ity of spirit, r(dy ever to coiw with tlie successive nod difficnlties fouud to be coiitiiiudly opposiiig tliemselves. In this Inatter, as in so iiiariy others, the sense of proportion is but too often lost siglit of. Because the iii\-estigatioiis of a I)arn.in, a Daltoii, a .JouIc, mid a, FaruLty have iiii importance of wliicli few among 11s caii ndeqnately conceive erm the measore- iiieiit ; becnusc among the scientific nieii iiow or Init lately liviiig in our iniclst are to be fomid yet others whose iiiiutigntioiis in piire scieiice have not only ~oiifor tiieiii a high rciion-n, but have eai*iieclfor tlieni the gratitude, and slionlcl lia\-e obtai tied for tlieiii the substantial acknon-ledgmeiits of tlieir coiiiitry aiid the world ; :md becense even the iniiior investigatioiis ;md discoveries that arc ever being made in pnre scieiice hare all of then1 their merit and their due, it does iiot follow that the mere accomplislimciit, it may be in an abiindaiit leisnre, of tn-o or three minor investigations, Iio\v-ever creditably conducted, are to lift tlieir authors into a scientific position, altogether above that of nien ~vliose laborious lir-es hare been spent in reiidei-itig tlieir great scientific attainiiieiits directly serviceable to tlie iieeds of the state ;ud of the commnnjty.Tlic of;~cco~ii~lisliiiieiit such-like iiivcstigatioiis does iiot eiiti tle tlieir anthors to be eseinptecl from the duty of e:iriiing their ow1 livelihoods, or give tlieiii a claim to be eiiclon-ed by tlie coii-tributioiis of others with tlie ~iieaiisto jog leisurely iiloiig, witliout responsibilities and without anxieties, tlie far from thorny paths of tlieir ow fa\-ourite predilictiou. However heterodox it may be thonglit by some, the best of all endowments for resenrcli is uiiynestioiiably that with wliicli tlie searcher, relying 011 liis own energies, succeeds in endowing himself.The work to which our iiatures are repngnaiit, not less than the work wliich entraiices us aitd hardly makes itself felt as work at all, lins to be done. In soi’rie degree or other, n-e have most of 11s to obtain our omii live-lihood ; and harsh as nilzy seein the requirement, it will, I suppose, lie conceded that tlie necessity pnt upou tlie mass of inaiikiiid of lia~iiigto earn tlieir daily bread, js an arrangement of pro-vidence which has on the whole n-orketf fairly well ; aid, fiirtlier, that the various arrangements hitherto tried for exempting- certain classes of men from the necessity of linriiig to earn their daily bread, in order tbat they might give themselres up to tlic Iiigher spiritual or intellectual life, have scarcely, to say the least of thein, worked quitt: so s:itisfactorily as they were iiiteiitlrcl to.All of us are, Jyitlront doubt, qualified for liiglier tliiii~stlml tlie mere eariiiiig of our daily head ; bnt the discipline of having to eacrnoiir daily bread is, in iiiore xays than one, a very whole-sonic discipline for the Inass of IIS, and ereii for the Lest of US.It may here aiid there press hardly 011 particular natures, but it is rarely an iinpcdimeut to the acliievenient of the highest things by those liaviiig the jndgiiicnt, the determination, and the self-denial necessary above all else for tlieir achievc-ment. Not a few of us limy consider onrselves fitted for higher work than the gods proride for us, and fondly iiiiagirie what great tliiugs m-e should effect if we could ody have our daily bread supplied to 11s by tlie exertions and eniloir-iiieuts of other less gifted mortals. But experience is uot on the hole favonrable to the view that, the conditions being provided, the expectation wonld be realised. Experience, indeed, rather f'it~-ours the notion ,that it is primarily the necessity for work, and association with those under a necessi ty to work,-those in whoiii a professional spirit has beeu aronsed ,and by wliom work is held in kiononr,-tliat creates and keeps up the taste and tlie habit of work, whereby the vague ambition to achieve is turned to soiiie productive account.Take, say, a thousancl of the most eiiiineiit men the world has prodiicecl, aiid making no allowance for the hge influence of clesceiit or training, or of association with those to lvlioni work is a necessity, or having lseeii a iiecessityv has be- cuiiie a habit, coiisider what proportion of these men have, by their means and position in en~ly life, beeii free froin any stiniuins or obligation to evert mid criltivate tlieir po~crs; aiid consider, oii the other Iiaud, what proportion of thni linw been stiiiiulated to exertion and success by the stern necessity of having either to achieve their on~ncareers, or to drop iuto insignificance, if not indeed into actual or coiiiparatire degradation and poverty.11-e ouglit, iiideecl, all of 11s to be students, and to be above all tliings stiicleiits ; but tlie most of us cannot be, nor is it desirable, save in tlie case of a spcd fen-, that n-e slionld he otilp stnclents. We have a11 our duties to fnlfil in tliis n-orld, aiid it is riot the least of these dnties to reiicler onrselws itdepeiicleiit of support from otliers, aiicl able oiime1vt.s to afford snpport to tlJOSe depeiidiiig upon us.Fortnuate are <-e iii 1)eiiig able to fiiicl our iiieaiis of INSTITUTE OF CIHEMISTRY. support in the deiiiaiid tliat exists for tlie applications of a science which lias for its cultivators so great a cbarni. To judge liowerer, not indeed by their coyness when exposed to the occasioiial temptation of professional ~ork, but rather by their obserr-ations on the career of others, the most songlit after and highest in professional repute, tlie pursuit of professional cheiiiistry is, in the opinioii of soiiie ainoiig us, R 1-ocation open to the grayest of ceiisiire. It is praisemortliy, indeed, for the inaii of science to coiitribnte to liis iiieaiis of livelihood by tlie dreary work of conducting examinations in eleineiitary scieiice for all sorts o€ examining boards, and by teaching elementary science at scliools aiid colleges, and by giving popular expositions of science at public institntioiis, arid by exchanging a minor professorial appointment aflordi 11g abundant opportunities for origiiial work, in farour of a inore lncratire and exacting appointillelit iiivolriiig duties which, if iiglitly fulfilled, iiiust seriously curtail these mine opportunities. It is praiseworthy of liiin to add to his inconie by coinpiliiig maiiuals of elementary science, and by writing attractive works oil science for the delectatiou of general readers ; but it is forsooth derogatory to him, if uot a donnright prostitution of his science, that lie sllonld contribute to his ineaiis of livelihood by making his knowledge snbservieiit to the wants of departments, corporations, and individuals, alike of great aiid small distinction, staiidiiig seriously in need of the special scientific services tlist he is able to render thein.A glance back suffices to slioiv liom foreign to the ideas of the great men who preceded us is this modern notioii of my reprehensibility attaching to applied or professional science. In his earlier days, Professor Faraday n'as largely eniployed in COD-iiection with all sorts of practical qnestions, and until alinost the close of his life, continued to act as scientific adviser to the Triiiity House. KOman was more constantly occupied in advising with regard to inanufactnring aiid nietallnrgic arid fiscal qiiestioiis tliwii Professor Graham, nlio ended his days holding the official position of Master of the Ahit ; a position in which he sncceeded another emienent inan of science, less kno~n, howrer, as a chemist than :IS an astronomer, Sir John Herscliel.As in these typical instances, so also in very mauy otliers ;and if I inay be allowed to draw at all 011 my own persoiial expeiiences, I would say tlint PAST MEMBERS OF THE CHEMICAL PROFESSION. 11 some of the most pleasant remembrances of my past life relate to the occasions on which I had the good fortune, early in my career, 60 be brought into association as a junior professional colleague, with some among the then most eminent of scientific men. It did not indeed happen to me to be associated in this particular manner with Faraday, or Graham, or Daniel, or yet with their frequent colleague Richard Phillips, one of the early Presidents of the Chemical Society, for many years the almost omniscient editor of the Philuso~ihicnZMqqclzi?ic, atid the leading professional chemist of his day.But among those who have passed away from us altogether, or hare for some cause or another quitted our ranks, my recollection goes back to professional association with a host of distinguished men of science ; whose membership would, of i t;elf, suffice to ensure an honouritble estimation for any profession to which they belonged. On different occasions it has beeti my lotJ to be engaged in advising on various questions in conjunction with Arthur Aikin, a personal friend of Priestley, writer of a still valuable dictionary of chemistry, the first Treasurer of the Chemical Society, and for many years the leading authority in regard to chemical metallurgy ; with Dr.Thomas Anderson, of Glasgow, an assiduous and successful worker in the then little familiar field of orgauic chemistry, and €or many years consulting chemist to the Highland Society ; with Professor Brande, the pupi! and mccessor of Uavy, at the Royal Iustitution, long tinie one of the Secretaries of the Royal Society, an early President of the Chemictal Society, and in his professional capacity, Director of the Die Department at the Royal Mint; with Sir Robert Christison, of Edinburgh, one of the most scientific of British toxicologists and pharmacologists, an original worker in many fields of inquiry, President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and a selected, though not an actual President of the British Association; witti Dr.Warren De La Rue, the friend of us all, more than once President of the Chemical Society, a past President of the Bstronomical Society. and a Vice-president and Bakeriari Lectwer of the Royal Society ; with Dr. Hofmann, the first Professor at the College of Chemistry, and hssayer for many years to the Mint, one n-ho can claim so inany of us as his pupils, and who as a professional chemist, uo less than as an investigator and teacher, ever set an esaniple of energy and vivacity to all his associates, workirig on oiie occasion INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY.the long night tlirougli in order to extract from paraffin-oil a stiecirnen of loenzeiie, ready for exliihitioii in Conrt on the follow-ing niorning,--an instance of professioiid devotiori which, as tlie Ihreseiice of niy immediate predecessor, Sir Fredwick Aiwl, reiiiiiids HI?,is not wholly witliout a piwallel. Proceeding in rtiy cnnriie~*a-t ion, I may mention Sir Robert KitIIe, soine time Vic.e-Chaiicellor of’ the Queen’s University, Ireland, a teacher anit worker of or gitiality and wide erudition, to whom chemists are indebted for their now familiar conception of the radicals amidogen and ethyl : also Dr. Alleri Miller, Professor at King’s College, LorldOrl, and -4ssayer to the Xint, a President of’ the Cheiiiical Society, and for riiariy years Treasurer of the Royal Sorietp ; also Sir LTon Plaj-fair, then Professor of Chemistry at the U~iirersityof’ Ediii t)nrgh, LIO\Y a mernber of’ her M;ijesty’s Privy Council arid Prvsideut of the British Association, one to ~honi we are iinder obligation for his hearty s~inp;tthy with the o\)jwts of the Institute, and for the unsparitig exercise of his efforts and influence on our behalf ; also my relatire 11.y marriage, Alfrtd Smee, a pioneer in electro-metalliirgy, and inveiitor of tlie eal-vanic battery by wliich for nearly half a ceiitury the greater part of the gnlsano-plastic work of this country tias heen effected ; and lastly Robert TVariiigton, chemist for in:iiiv years to the Society of Apothecaries, tlie fouiider and first Secretary of the Chetnical Society, and a frequent contributor thereto of his cliarncteristically ingenious observations.And not only ivi tli the above-named emiiierit men of science, hit with marly others aleo, has it been my fortune to be professionally associated, includ- ing, I regretfnlly hare to add arriong those who have passed away froin us, some of the most distinguished origiud members and urai*mest friends of the Ttistitute, as Dr. Stenhouse, Sir William Siemens, Professor Way, Dr. Angus Smith, Dr. Voelcker, and Rlr. Walter Weldon. Moreover, amoug the leading men of science of the present day, Sir Frederick Abel, Mr. Crookes, Professor Dewar, Professor Frat]kland, Mr.Vernon Harcourt, Sir Henry Roscoe, Th. Tyndall, and Dr. Williamson are either the holders of definite pt*ofessional appointments, or are otherwise more. or less actively engaged in the work of the professional chemists A profession surely stands in need of 110 apology which includes SCTEZI’TTFIC CHARACTER OF PROFESSIONAL CHENTSTS. 13 and has inclnded in its ranks within such a limited period, such a host of distingnished ineriib(~rs. So far, moreover, from his professional eminence and usefulness being made a matter of reproach to the scientific nian, it sliould constitute riclitly a claim to his higher consideration; and far from king a coiinted a disl)aragement, should be held as an addition to his scientific standing. It1 the professions rnosc allied to our own on the one side and on the other, this is n-ell recognised.The ~rhpsiciau and tlie enpiueer are not merely students of patholog-j-arid of mechanics, however important rnay have been their contri- butions to pathology and mechanics respectively, but they are tlie distinguished craftsmen in their respective arts. And wliether or not they limy have made important contributions to pure science, tlieir rank as eminent scientific men is everywhere arid riglitl? conveded to them. A lucky cliance happening to my professional lniln ma? indetd bririp him to the front, but no succes4ou of liicky CIIances can ever happen that will of themselves prove adequate to keepinq him there. Great qualities are ever neces- sary to sustain great professional positions ; and to be for years one of the foremost in a scientific profession, is of itself at least as substantial an evidence of scientific attainment as is tlie publicatlion of a memoir on soiiie minute point, say of anatomy, or chemistry, or hpdrodynamics, for example.And it is so recog- uised, and very properly recognised, even in quarters where pure science admittedly reigns supreme. Tiending engineers and leading pliysicians and surgeons are every year admitted into the Royal Elociety, not on account of the iniportance attaching to any special contributions they may have made to mechanical or patholonical science, but mainly because of their eminence in their several professions; in which, to be eminent is of itself an evidence of scientific character and of extensive scientific knowledge.It may indeed be taken as beyond question that to obtain and retain a leading position in a scientific profession, needs among other things the possession of high scientific attainments. I say among other things, for without moral qualities in a notable degree, sympathy, endnrance, courage, judgment, and good faith. no such professional success is conceivable. Professional eminence is the expression necessarily of scientific ability, but not of scien-tific ability alone. The self-engrossing science of the student INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY. has to be humanised by its association with the cares and wants, and the disappointments and successes of an outside world.And now comes the very practical question, what advantages are likely to result from our particular organisation; what gain to chemical science, what gain to the public, what gain to ourselves? Now these several matters are so bound up together, that we can scarcely isolate them from one another sufficiently even to allow of our taking them into separate and successive consideration. Any gain to ourselves as a body must depend on the higher esteem in which we are held by the public ; and the higher esteem in which we are held by the public nil1 depend in the main on the greater value of the services that we render; while tlie extent of service we may he able to render will bc dependent again on the progress of chemical science generally, and on our own ev~r increasing proficiency as practical chemists.All three conditions act and are reacted on hy one another; but despite their iiiter- dependence, we may yet be able to concentrate ow chief attention on them one after the other. In the first 1)lace then, as regards the gain that may be expected to accrue to chemical science, it is clear that the extension and irnproF ement ot' clroiiiical etliicatiori, is the otie predominating meaiis available to us for effecting the iilain piirpoee of the Institute, naniely the adyancement of PIofes-sional chernistry. The higher and more thorough the training of the profe~sional chemist, the better qdl he be able to fulfil the de-rnarids made upon him, arid tlie more will his services and the ~)rofessionto which he Iwlongs be held in respect.It will probably be taken for granted that, by reason of our oignnieation into a pro-fessional body, the inducements we shall be able to offer to those h:ii.ing it in contemplation to engage in the 11ork of proi'essic~nal (.hemistry, will snffice to create in them a desire to affiliate them-selves to our body, and cause tlienr vith tlint iritcnt to cdiic:ite theillselves up to the standard of oiir reqiiircinents ; and fir~tl~ur tban this, it will be conceded that the recognitioii of chemistry as an oryanistd profession, stxi1diii.g on the $awe footing, say, as tlre profemions of ~nedic.i~icand ot' eiiqinct~ring,and like these 1)rofe~ sions offering a definite career to its foIIowerp, and conferring on ITS INFLUENCE ON SCIENTIFIC EDUCATION.them the status that results from admission to the membership of a not undistinguished corporation, :inien:ible to their influence, and with its high places open for their attainment, will be the means of attracting into the profession a class of students having the capability and determination to achieve for tliemselves the highest qualifications obtainable. And it may fairly be anticipated that in other ways also, some of them to be presently reftarred to, the Institute of Chemistry will add alike to the social and substantial attractiveness of the cheinical profession ; whereby an increasing nuiiiber of students, possessing a higher average of nieiins and of literary cultivation.will desire to enter its imlis. Now, an iiicrease of such-like studeiits implies necessarily an increase and development of cheniical education, with all its attendant in- fluences on the progress of even pure science. It must not be forgdten, either, that it is to the present demands of applied chemistry in some form or another, that tlie greater number of tlie schools and laboratories of' chemistry throughout the country largely owe tlieir origin and prosperity. That the culti.5-ators 01' chemistry are nurnerous beyond the cultirators, say, of botany or of mnthemiitics. is dependent not so much on the greater interest of the htlj, as 011 the greater demand made for what the cultivator of cliemistry is able to supply; while the very number of the cultivators afiects the largeness of the field froin which the distinguished cultivators successively emerge.That the Institute of Chemistry, riot only by iyhat may be here- after demanded as R necesqary condition of admission to its mern- bersiiip, but far more by what may be reqnired for the attairiinent of reward, distiuction, and leadership \ritIiin its ranks, mill exert a potent influence on cheinical eclucation, cannot, iiideed, be doubted. Onr cdling differs from most others in tliis, that the questioiis pi~ofessionally snhiiiitted to us are essentinllp scientific questions, ever calliiig on us to deal with thein in a scieritific spirit. Form-ing as they do, for the most part, the subjects of a veritable scien- tific itivestigation, it is to it tmiiiiiiz in investigation, more than to any other form of chemical eclncation, that fitness for thr deteimiiiatioii of these questions, and the professional success attendant on tlieir deterniination, milst deljmd.At the present tiine, the chemical education of the country, uiuch as it lias ad-miiced within the last thirty years, cunnoi, but be felt as deficient, INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY. and deficient mainly by reason of its lmvity. To become ac-qriaiiited in some iiieasure with tlie great body of facts and their relationships to one another, to acq:iire x familiarity with ttie imre importan t literatiire, doctrine, and p1iiloso~)Li~ of the siihject, and to obtain some decree of practical skill and insight into its ex-perimental methods, is ws mnch as can be expected of the oidinary student, within the present brief period of his educational career in science.Anyhow, he c:tii rarely get beyond tlie st,age uf finding out for himself, in a few setwt cases by way of practice, what has long before been found out and established by 1 he inrestigatiotis of others. These are matters tliat can be more or less satisfac- torily tested by examination ; aud with all the drawbacks iiicident to the examinational system, it has pet its niicliiest,ionnbIr iuerita, and is so far a necessity that it is difficult to see horn its nse can be wholly dispensed with. On the path of origind inquiry, the time at the disposal of the ordinary stutleiit but rarely permits hiin to enter ; and with the demands of fvrtlicoining esaniinations pressing upon him, it is scarcely desirable tliat he should eiiter.But the education in science that can be satisfactorily tested and scored up by examiners, is but the beginning of a re;rlly scientific education. With a professional career before him, the student of chemistry can afford to prolong the period of his edncation, and devote himself to work which looks for its reward in other than :I inere examinational success. A trainiug in ttie pursuit of original inquiry is not only the particular trailling wliicli, more thau any other, fits him for the work of his future profession. hut the achievement of success in such inquiry constitutes his surest means of making himself known, and of becoming entrusted with the professional work for which his training has especially qualified him.An increasing demand set up in this way, for instructiorn and guidance in the work of research, cannot bnt react lxneficiallg on the methods of the scientific teacher ; while the early formation of a taste for research will not be mithoiit a jar-reaching infloence on the after life of the student. But more than this, among the number of youiig inen taking up hhe study of chemistry by reason of ita opening out to them a professional career, and cultivating oiaigirial work as the recognised means of qualifying themselves for that career, some proportion at any rate will find in tlie pursuit of research, the vocation for which they are especially ITS INFLUENCE ON THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE.clualified, and for which they will, in the seed-sowing time of their life, be willing to make, as others hare made before them, even considerable professional sacrifices. And the adyance-inent of professional chemistry may be expected to affect the pro-gress of pure science in yet another way. To how many of us haq not a study of the subjects of our professional work. and the exceptional opportunities so freely afforded us for their study pro- fessionally, created a wide extension of oiir kno\vledge, eren i€ it has riot opened out what have proved to us altogether new fields of inrliiiry. To how iiianyv of [is, further, has not ii stiidj under thr? ;dv,znt.-rgeons01 rportunities afforded us, of tlie suhjects of our I)ro!eGsional \vorli, siiggested friiitful topic.; of pnrely scientific interest, which hut for their having been first brought under our noticae professionally, would never have occurred to us as matters fbr investigation at all.Witti the ever extending need for the services of the professional clieinist, and \yith tlle holders of che- mica! appointments spread, as they are becoming spread, all over the country, arid with a supl)ly of young chemists, \wlI edncate(1 :crierally, specially trained for their work, imbued xith a spirit of inquiry, interested in tlie solution of scientific problems, and prac- tised in the methods of their solution, what progress, alike in pure wience and in the higher npplications of science, may not be hoped for, as a result of that advancement of the professional education ;)ridprofessional status of practising chemists, which our organiza-tion is calculated so largely to iiifluence and bring about.As reqards tlie gain that will be likely to accrue to the cnm- inrinity, from the influence which the Tnstitute of Chemistry cannot fail to exert in maitihininq and raising the standard of capability :ind professional character amon? practising chemists, it may be nseflil to qiiote a few paragraphs from the preamble of the Charter nnder which the Institute has now been incorporated. It is therein represented . . . . . . "That the profession of analytical and consulting chemistry is one of great importance to tlie public, and having regard to the rapidly increasing application of chemistry to legal invest'i- gatioiis, to public health, to the adulteration of food, to agricul- 1s INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY.ture, and to the arts and manufactures, it is desirable that persons practising the profession of analytical and consulting chemistr:- should have both a practical and scientific knowledge thereof. " That it is a matter of increasing importance to government departments, to corporate bodies, and others requiring the assist- ance of persons competent to 1)ractice in analytical chemistry and to advise in technologicnl chcmistry, that such persons should be properly trained, and that their qnalificntions should be attested by certificates of competency granted by a scientific body possess- ing sufficient status; and that at present there is no institution or corporate body which has power to issue such certificates." That the said Institute was not established for the purposes of gain, nor do the members thereof derive or seek any pecuniary profits from their membership, but the society aims at the eleva- tion of the profession of consulting and analytical chemistry, and the promotion of the efficiency and usefulness of persons practis-ing the same, by compellitig the obseryance of strict rules of membership, and by setting up a high standard of scientific and practical proficiency. " That it would greatly promote the objects for which the said Institute has been instituted, and would also be for the public benefit, if the members thereof were incorporated by RojaI Charter, with power to afford facilities for the better education and examination of persons desirous of qualifying theinselves to be public and technical analysts and chemical advisers on scientific subjects of public importance, and with poITer to grant such certi- ficates of competency as aforesaid ; as, besides other adrantages, such incorporation by Charter would he a public recognition of the importance of the profession of analytical and consnlti~ig chemistry, and wonld tend yradually to raise its character, and thns to secure for the community the existence of a class of persons well qualified to be employed in the responsible and difficult duties often devolving upon them." In relation to the topic of public utility dwelt iipon in these paragraphs, it would, under any circumstacces, be superfluous to enlarge on the general proposition, as to the dependency of national progress on the evtensiou and application of scieiitific knowledge; mid it is especially nnnecessary at the present time, in view of Sir Lyon Playfair's recent disquisition on the matter iii liis ?residential address to tlie British Association.But it may be safely urged, that with scarcely any other department of practical science is national progress so iiitirnately counected, as it is with the depart- iiieiit of chemistry. The special applications of chemistry, in relation to agriculture, to metallurgy7 to technology generally, and to matters and questions of war-material, of gas-supply, m-ater- supply, food-supply, and of hygiene, medicine, and jurisprudence, are ever being resorted to for tlie advancement, aud elucidation of these important arts aud niatters, affecting so largely the individual and r~ational life ; vhence it should follow that to increase the iiuinber, and insure the greater competency of the professional nien entrusted by the commuiiity to deal with t'hese affairs, may consr;i-tutc a matter of even national concern.And as regards depart- ments, corporations, boards, and persons in general, needing the services of the professional chemist, the gain to tliern in having an increased supply of more cultivated aiid better trained men froin whoin to make their selection, aid from having it in their power to satisfy themselves of the capability arid training of those offered for their selection, by the assurance of a responsible body specially qualified and authorised to gire that assurance, mould seem to be beyond question.As an incident of the past it may fairly be noted, without any disparagement to the meritorious body of inen now holdiiig the positions of public analysts through- out the country, that at the time, not so long ago, of the Act of Parliament coming into force urider n-hich these appointineuts were first made, the choice of really competent candidates was very small, that tlie several boards having the responsibility of inalring the appointments had no means of assuring themselves of the competeixy of the different candidates, aiid that, as a result, riot a few unfortunate appointnients m-ere made, which had sonie- horn or other to be in effect revoked ; while even ainoiig those public aiialysts who have since amply justified their appointment, some at least feel themselves considerably lmmperecl in their proper chemical work, and LIKN~~Cto take up, as they wonld desire, other branches of clieinical work, by the circumstance of that work INSTITUTE OF CtIENIS'I'RY.beitig oiie for rtliich tliey 11ai.e not hati the ;1clv;iiit:tge of an atleqriate early trainiiig. Of such a stat8eof thiiigs, the existelice of the Iiistitute of C'licniistry should preveiit niiy possible recur-relice ;while it lias the fnrttier merit of :~flordiiig to the public jet other actrantages of a' wliolly difl'ereiit kind.For by its means, there will be offered to all persons amidboards reqniring the services of the professioiial diemist, not oiily ao increased slipply of Letter t rained inen, and aii ~SSU~;LIIC~of tlic sufficieiicy of tlieir traiiiing, bnt there will also be offered to thcse persoils and boards, the advantage of ha~i11gto ded with iiieii of education aiid standing, having a professioiial cliarac,ter to mainti 11, anieii-able to the influence of association with the leaders of tlieir pro-fessicm, under obligation to obserre a high tone of professioiial coiicluct: and liable to have any departure froin such conduct made the subject of iiiquiry aiid possibly of repriniaiid by their fellows ;or it imy be, even Ncause of tlieir suspensioi~ or exclusion f'roni the raiilts of the professioiial orga~iisatioii, their continued membership of which conld oiily briiig into discredit.And now as regards the advantage which the existence of the Iiistitiite of Cheiiiistry is likely to afford to ourselves. To those of us who have already attained tlie higher steps 011 the 1:idder of siiccess, it can scarcely afford any personal advantage wliatever, save that which may result from a gradnltl increase iii repit. ctt'1011 of the profession to which we belong. Hut to all alike, as ineiii-bers of the geiieral body, regardiul of oiir past aiid present obliga-tions to tlie profession, uiid takiiig a lively interest in its future n-ell-doing, tlie incorporation of tlie Institute of Chemistry by Ropal Charter caiiiiot but appcar as a matter of personal congratulation.It will be our om fault if the so iiicor-porated Institute does not prore a ineaiis of raising tlie c1iar:icter aiid increasing the usefulness of r;he clieinical pro-fession, of proiiiotiag the influetice it shoulcl be able to exert, aiid of contribntiiig to the ptiblic: estimation in wliicli its iiidi~-iclanliiieiiibers will be held. Tlie genertil recugiiitioii of practising cheiiiists as nieiiibers of a distiiict profcssion, coiistitnted oiilyv of specially trained meii, caii scarcely fail to secure for tlie POSITION OF C'HI<.\LICII, EXPERTS.eiitire body a degree of consideration aiid respect very clesimblt: iii itself, and not lyithout a snbatantial val~iewhen acr:oided alike by state depiirtinciit$, aid by iiimiicipal and other local authorities, aid by iiieiii1,ers of tliose particular learned profesjioiis with ~Iiicli the work of the cliemist briiigs him inore especially iiito associii-tion. Aiid with the growiiig respect eiitertaiiied for the profession at large, there caiitiot bnt spring up an increasingly favomable. aid not unservice;hle feeling towards the iiidi\-iclunl, by reason of tlie profession to which he belongs. Iii all cases, iiideed, foimial iiiclusioii within tlie rsiiks of a learned profession, necessarily liiiiited in its niimbers, demanding froin its iiieiiibers the possession of special qualificatious, mid csactiiig froiii tlieiii the obligation to observe a high staiidard of coiidnct, is found to afford noteworthy adraiitnges,social aird inaterial, to the persons so iiiclnded.The degree of advantage attaching to membership of an organised corporation will depend, of course, on the character, repntatiori and traditions of the particular corporation. A new corporation like our o~ii,liaving 110 traditions to fall back upon, has to create its reputation, acquire its iiifliieiice, arid niake its own history. There is iiinch that tlie Institute may do for its members in the way of good ; while by the exercise of an iiiflueiice for good, it will acquire for itself a degree of respect enabling it to effect yet greater good.There are iiiatters affecting, for instance, tlie mode iii mllich scieiitific knowledge is brought to hear on questions of legal and quasi-legal inquiry, in which the Institute of Chemistry may botli bring about a real iniproveiiieiit and effect a removal of pre\diiig misappreheiisioiis. Kot that this s~rl~ject is really of so much importmice in itself, the fuiictions of a chemical expert form-iiig but a small part of the functions exercised even by tlie puticular cheiiiists most engaged in this departiiieiit of ~ork; n-liile it coii- stitutes a quite iiisigiiificant fraction of tlie snm-total of work done by thc profession at lsrge. It is, however, the particiilar part of a professioiial clie inist 's work which brings hiM iiiost proiiiiiiently before the general public ; and has iiot un€i.equently served as the basis of by no iiieans flattering comiiieiits on the value of scientific opiiiioii in relation to forensic inquiries. But in aiiy matter of dispute whatsoemr, a coniparisoii of all that can l)e rjghtf ally Imught fbrw-ttrd on tlie oiie side, with all that can be riglitfully brought forward on the other, would appear to be oiie of tlic iiiost 22 INSTITUTE: OF CHEMISTRY.certainly sure modes of getting at the actual truth of the disputed matter. Aiid in tliis my, tlie conflicting testimony of opposed scieiitific expert-,,--iieitlier of them having had the whole facts arid argumenta before him, as it is scarcely possible iiideed tliat he ShOIdd have, but each of them having had the subject brouglit uiider his notice from an opposite point of view,-becoincs n necessary condition of the legal threshing out of scientific ques- tions.The retained scientific expert is an oiitcome of the necessity felt for his services ; aiid his fuiiction is not less hoiiou:.aWe, and is indeed as csseiitiul to tlie exhaustive investigation of riiaiiy legal iiiquiries as is the function of the retaiiied advocate. The duty of the expert is clearly riot to deterriiiiic for himself the maiii subject of dispute, but to assist in its right deteriiiiiiatioii by others ; by briiiging out clearly aiitl forcibly indeed, but also wit11 fairness aid scrupulomiies3, a11 the filch and infcreiices that suppolt tlie particnlar yjew which has alone been fully laid open to him.Accordiiigly, lie 011 his side, aid his aiita-goiiist on the other side, riiust, in the cxeycise of their coiii- nioii fuiiction, be prepared to submit iinpertui~btll)ly to whit-ever probing of tlieir coiiflictiug represciitatioiis is necessary to bring ont the uiibiassed trutli of the puticu1:tr matter to be decided on, by a triLuna1 of whicli tlicp tliernselres rery properly form no part. But the tribuiial, in coming to a decisioli, occa- sionally has recourse even now, aiid with acknowledged advantage, to the aid of ail iiidepeiideiit expert-assessor ; and it may fairly be contended, t11at in legd inquiries in vol ri 11g coinpl icated scieiiti fic issues, the decisioiis of the tri1)uiial I)y which they are judici:tlly determined would be eiititled to greater weight, if more commonly ttiaii is now the case, they were sided by the special kiio\\ledg*eof an expert-assessor, not as a substitute for, but as a proper coin-plement to the retaiiied expert.The retained cliemical expert has coiiie into existence because lie was needed ; aiid the need n-liich is now springing up for the expert chemical assessor, is one which the Institute of Chemistry inay do much both to foster and to supply. It is not to be concealed, moreover, that iiiaiiy chemists are desirous of seeing retained experts treated altogether differently from ordinary witiiesses as to fwt, aiid the experts on the one sicle put iiito direct coniinuiiication with those 011 the other.And supposiiig this, or some yet other view to picvail ITS BETAATION TO TIIE CHEMICAL SOCIETY, ETC. generally, it is clear that the Institnte of Chemistry might be fitly aiid hopefully occupied in au effort to carry out any such recog- nised object of general professional desire. Among the many inodes of usefulness open to the Institute, there is, \lowever, one important fnnction of a professional body from which it would-seem to be almost wholly precluded. But for the exjstencc of otlw organizations, such as the Chemical Society, the Society of Cliemical Industry, the Pharmaceiitical Society, arid the Society of Public Analysts, &c,, it might, like the Inktitiition of Civil Engiiieers and the Iiistitute of British Architects, become an importaiit agency for discussing the methods and resiilts of professional work ; for the publicatioii of original memoirs and the discussions thereon ; and for the diffiision of literature Imrjng alike on the science and practice of tlie profession.The iiialrility of the Institute of Chemistry to take up this position coiistitiites, without doubt, a permanent disadvantage to it as a particular corporation ; but in this important work of a professional l)ody, it is forestalled, and it must be adiiiitted most satisfactorily foi-c-stalled, hy existing societies. Its professional position in relatioil to these existing societies, iyould seem accordingly to bc: very much that of the College of Surgeons, for example, in relation to the ~~edico-ChirnrgicalSociety, to the Pathological Society, to tlie Medical Society, and to the many other societies devoting them- selves to the discussion and publication of memoirs hearing on different de1xwtments of the work of the medical profession.But while fulfilling something like, for instance, the rale of the College of Surgeons, tlie Institute of Chemistry Etands in one importaiit prticnlar at a great disadvantage in the coniiwisoii. The C'ollege of Snrgeons is a nealtliy corporat>ion, and its iiicorne from property aiid examination-fees enttbles it not only to ])asits cnrreiit eq~nses without the aid of any subscription from its meinhers,_but also to keep up a magiii iiceiit iiiiiseuin and library.Our exaniinatioii-fees are newr likely to he a source of revenue to us, and at the present time, not witlistanding the generous modern- tion of our examiners, do not quite cover the expenses incident to the holding of our examinations. In order to pay our way, \ye have, accordingly, little beyond the annual subscriptions of ow inemhers to fall back upon. The somcwliat onerous snbscrip-tions and entrance-fees paid to the former Institute, sufficed 24 1KWIT UT E OF CH EXIISTRT. to meet the heavy expeiiditure attendant both on its origiiial incorporation, arid oii its re-i ticorporation by Rosa1 Cliartcr. Tliey, iiioreover, euablecl the Iiistitnte iiot 0171y to provide jbr current espses, hit to acc~iniiilatealso a moderate, and just Sufi-cieiit iiirested fuiicl.In the future, riiiless indeed to meet oii 0cc:isioii soiiie exceptional case. tliere will he iieed for 110 fiirthcr contributioii froin meiitlws of the Iiisti tute tliari is :idequate to corer, with a small inargiii, the curreiit workiiig expeiises ; hit to fulfil snch need, a reveiiue froin all sources, of iiot less than e500 a year, iiiust he supplied. For the provision of this iitooine, ivhiclt is the iiiiiiiiiium iiicome iieccssary to carry mi its work, the Tiistitute of Clientistiy can oiily clcpend on tlie liberality aiid good will of its iiieinbers; on their good will, since it mill be for tlicm to fix the rate of tlieir aimual snl~scriptioit ; aiid 011 tlieir lil)cralitp, since their coiiti*ibutioits will have to be accorded witlioiit the esliectatioii of aiip taiqible retrini ; hut solely 11-it11 the olljcct of enahliiig tlie Tiistitnte to exist, aiid carry 011 tlie clritics with which it 21a~been entrusted.'I'he suggestioii of a. specific rate of a~tiiu;il coiitri1)utioiiwill, iiiclced, be niade hy the C'oi~iicil,hit it will lin\.c to he approred alid adopted lry the meiiilws at large. In tlijs. as iii all other itiatters, tlie Couiicil arc but the yeiits of the geiiei-a1 lmdp ; and it c;miiot 1)e too stroiigly recogitked liow mucli the futnre sticccss of the Institnte iiiust depeiid on a tEiorongh iiiider-standiiig betweeit the iiiembei*s at ltwge, and tlieir drily appoitt-ted esecutiw. Xecesswrily, the work of the Couiicil has to 1~ conducted maiiily by iuenilws of the Iiisti tnte, resident in or near the metropolis ; for however large iilay be tlie ~)roportioii of proyiiicial mcmbers elected, it is olnious that tlieir atteiiclalic~ at ineetiirgs alike of the Conncil and of its Coiiimittees, ca11 [w, at the best, hut very irregrilar.The respoitsil)ility, lio\verer, for tlrc geiieral policy of tlie Iiisti tiite aiid for tlie regiilatioii of its ;tRaii*s, rests iiot with the Coaiicil 1)ut nitti tlie geiicral lmilj,. A11d tlieir efficient colitrol orer tlic proceeetliiigs of the Institute, provide(l for 1)roadly by the pro~isioi~sof the C'liarter, will be furtlier seciired to theni 1)y tlie Bye-lam, wliich tliey alone ;LIY coinpctciit to eilact aiid give effect to : and, f?om time to tinie, if iieed he, to suppleiiieiit, or iiiodif'j-, or a1Jrog;ttu.Riit thongh ci-aiiipccl it) its resoiirces, aiid excluded nlinost wholly froin OIW field of iisefuhcss, tliere is ;tl)uiiclmit work left ITS UTTIiITY TO TTS 3IENRERS. for the Institute of Cliemistry, as a corporate society, to take lip, and much good possible hr it to acliicre. There are, for instance, inany matters affecting tlw i.elationship of piwtisiog chemists, both to one mother, and to the parties for wliom they are acting, in which it may exert its influence iu f;ivoiir of \yliat is creditable aiid high-iiiinded ; and so of what is, in the loiy riiii, most admiitageous. Hiit it is not only iii respect to tlie personal relationsliips of practising chemists, but as coiicerns :tlso tlie wider relationship of the yrofessioii to the public at large, tht the ability to exert a corporate, instead of a merely iudivitiiial action in reference to matters affectiiig our statns and iiiterests, may be expected to prove beneficial.Our representation, iii any matter with which we are specially concerned, niay indeed not be attended to ; bnt it can sc:irccl-j now be denied a hearing, or be treated as though of 110 accoiuit. Ainong its other objeits, the Institute of Cliemistiy exists undoubtedly for the purpose of iniproriiig the position mid prospects of professional chemists. It does nut, howeT-er, lay itself out, nor is it fitted, for the exercise of what limy be called a trades-union method of proceediiig.Competitioii of the unqualified, and meretricious, and professioiiiilly irresponsible nian, with tlie capable and carefully trained niember of at1 exactiiig profession, will still be possible; but the traiiieil and capable inan will now have tlie advantage of Iiaving his compe-tency and training attested by the guarantee of a public body, qualified, and officially authorised, to afford him siich guarantee ; while the comtnnni ty at large, called on to discrimiiiate betweeu the conipeti tors, will be affoided adequate means of discriininatiori; arid will have at their coniniaiid the aesiiraiice, both of cnpabiIitg and of prol’essional cliaiwter, which niembership of a iiiore or less highly reputed coiyoration implies.As affecting in this way oiir own interests, the more or lees reputation of the Institute becoines to each of us, a niatter of personal concern. Eecessarily, lioaei-er, its reputation c:m be but of slow growth ; and the yonnger of OW members can, \\-ith the largest measure of coiifidence, look for\\-arc1 to experience the benefits deri rable from its increase of repntatioii. 111 particnlar, the influence \\liicli tlie Iiistitute of Chemistry iiiay exercise 011 the estiiiiation accorded to professional cliemists, tlirorigh the stiiniiliis n-liich it will afford to the higher scientific ediicatioii of those entering the profession, cannot obvioasly make itself felt 26 IKSTITlTTE OF CHENIISl'RT. for niany years.Iht we inay all of us, from the present outset, proniote the reputation of tlie Institute, in wliich we 11a1-eSO ~iianife.~tan interest, by oiir omii indi vitlual coiidnct. Rultis of professioiid coiiduct, opposed to prevalent habits, are for the most part incapable of enforceinel~t; but good exaniple will tell in tlie long run, anc! the knowledge that certain courses of action are approTed, while other courses of actiou are disapproved by the general body, cannot fail to bring about a surriral of the fittest. The advanceiiiciit of tlic Institute of Clieniistry is our persoiial interest, and tlie estimation wliicli may be gained for it is our personal gaiu. Each one of us may, ancl shoiild, promote tlie reputatioii of the Institute by his iiidividual character nlld conduct, by tlie sonncll~ess of his professional work, and by Iiis scrupiilons ayoidauce of ercrytliiug which in other professiolls is held to be derogatory.By the Charter of its incorporation, the Institute of Chemistry, as the now officially constituted embodiment of the chemical pro- fession, is charged with certain duties and responsibilities iii relation to the future ol' the entire professioii ; and ought, Kith a view to the efficient fulfilineut of these dnties and responsibilities, to be in tlie nidest sense, the representative of the entire profes- sion. At present, it is constituted only of the 438 persons who were ineinbers of the original Institute at the time of its dissolu- tion. 111 future, the sole mode of admission to the J?ello\whi~), with a possible reserye to meet w.holly exceptional cases, will be through tlie grade of Associatesliip, and by ftilfilnient of tlle educational requirement s deinanded of Associates,-a mode of admission clearly iiiapplical~le to the case of persons already, and for some ti rile Imt, in practice as professioiial cheiiiists. For it caniiot be overloolied, that although the Iristitute of Chemisti-y iiicludes tile great lmlk of the clieiiiicnl proftssion, aiid altlion~li it \vas granted its Cliarter of Incorporation on the ground anioiig others, that it did comprise the great lmlk of the profession, there are, iievet-thcle;s, a coiisiderable numl~er of pisoils practising as professioiial clieriiists throughout the couiitry, who are riot jet iiicludecl within its rnnks; and who ham an uiicleiiial)le claim to IT8 REPRESENTATIVE CHARACTER. be included, if they so desire, on conditions suitable to their position as persons alieady in practice, and without the exaction from them of any deterrent fine.Some, indeed, of these practis- ing cheniists can plead with truth, that they neier had the opportunity of becoming members of the original Institute brouglit under their notice ; but even the circumstnnce that others of them, to whom the opportunity was offered, did not give the matter sufficient attention, or deliberately held themsel~es aloof from a merely self-constituted organisation, does not bar their claim, as professional chernicts of good repute, to be included wittiin the now officially constituted organisation.It is ineyitable tiiat the inclusion of such chemists, on terins which are fair and fitting to them as persons already in practice, cannot be effected without some little injustice to mod ot' us who are constituted members oi the Institute by the provisions of the Chai-ter. Some among us sacrificed uiucli time and incurred not a little responsibility in founding the original Institute eight or nine years ago ; others among us, with the hearty support of the general body, hare spared ooi~selves no pains to wrry on the work of the Institnte 1r01n tlren till now ; otliers again have during the last year or two laboured un;pwriugly, and with no little anxiety, to obtain for the Institute the official recognition with which our efYoits have at length been ie\varded ; others again in order to become members of' the Institute, Iia\e submitted to the ordeal ot' an exacting exarniuation ; while a11 01 us have contributed to the considerable outlay by xhich the present position of the Institute has been achieved, arid to the accumulation of' a not inconsiderable invested fund so essential, amoiig other things: to the assurance of its future.But all these sacrifices do not entitle US to use the trust that has been reposed in 11s for other than the plain purpose for which it was reposed, namely, the organization and advancement of the pro- fession at large. And in this case as in so mauy others, tlre higher motive, and the lower motive intelligently appreciated, favour the same conne of proceeding.We have to consider whether, by acting in a generous spirit, we shall not only best fulfil our obligation, but also best achieve one important end for which our past sacrifices haw been incurid, nauiely, the improvement INSTII‘UTE OF CIIl’NrSTRY. of our own positioii, through ii streiiqthening of the general body to which we belong, by increasing its numbers and influence, and its power of carrying out the objects for which it was constituted. Retween the majority of ourselves and those practising chemists not yet i~iclridcd in our body, the chiel’ differeuce is that ne hare. and they haw wt, tukeii stel’s to bring about the orgmization of our coiunion profession ;a diffmence between us in tlic past which caiiiiot justify our severance froni oiic motlicr in tlic future.They, as m~mbers of the sme profession, have il comtiion right with ourselvcs to tlie benefits arising from our iio~priviliged organiza-tion ;and \re, in a spirit of trust ad fellowship, need riot fear tht, received with welconie into our l)ocly, tlicy will take less interest than ourselves in the futnre of the Institute of Cheniibtry, or that they will he less earnest in the niaintenance of its repnta-tion, or be less rnindf’ul of its iriflrierice and uelfare.

ISSN:0368-3958    

DOI:10.1039/PG885090A001

出版商:RSC    

年代:1885

数据来源: RSC