the president's annual address

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70 THE ANALYST. THE PRESIDENT’S ANNUAL ADDRESS. (Delivered February 3, 1904.) THE past year has been one of steady progress in our Society, and good work has been done. We elected during the year twenty-one new ordinary members, and two members have resigned. Thus we have a net addition of nineteen new names to our list of ordinary members, which now stands at 296. We have elected one honorary member, Dr. J. Millar Thomson, F.R.S., Professor of Chemistry at King’s College, London, lately President, and for many years Registrar, of the Institute of Chemistry. Dr. Miller Thomson’s valuable services to the cause of professional chemistry and his high reputation make us glad to welcome him to a position in our list of honour. One whose duties brought him into touch with those of Public Analysts, and who earnestly strove to secure efficiency in his own department, has passed away- the Right Hon. R. W. Hanbury, the late Minister for Agriculture. The finances of the Society are in a, satisfactory condition, and our thanks are due to the honorary treasurer, who has informed me that our income has exceeded There has not been any loss by death during the year. Published on 01 January 1904. Downloaded on 25/10/2014 06:43:38. View Article Online / Journal Homepage / Table of Contents for this issue

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Page 1: The President's annual address

70 THE ANALYST.

THE PRESIDENT’S ANNUAL ADDRESS. (Delivered February 3, 1904.)

THE past year has been one of steady progress in our Society, and good work has been done.

We elected during the year twenty-one new ordinary members, and two members have resigned.

Thus we have a net addition of nineteen new names to our list of ordinary members, which now stands at 296.

We have elected one honorary member, Dr. J. Millar Thomson, F.R.S., Professor of Chemistry at King’s College, London, lately President, and for many years Registrar, of the Institute of Chemistry. Dr. Miller Thomson’s valuable services to the cause of professional chemistry and his high reputation make us glad to welcome him to a position in our list of honour.

One whose duties brought him into touch with those of Public Analysts, and who earnestly strove to secure efficiency in his own department, has passed away- the Right Hon. R. W. Hanbury, the late Minister for Agriculture.

The finances of the Society are in a, satisfactory condition, and our thanks are due to the honorary treasurer, who has informed me that our income has exceeded

There has not been any loss by death during the year.

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Page 2: The President's annual address

THE ANALYST.

the expenditure by 672. This compares favourably with the balance of lsat year, which was $47. At the same time, we have spent on the ANALYST 650 more than in the previous year. I think you will agree with me that additional expenditure could not have been laid out to better purpose. The membership and corresponding income controls the size of our Journal, but within this limit our aim must be to make it as perfect a record as possible of the progress in analytical chemistry.

The following papers have been presented to the Society during the year :

Apparatus for Making Anaerobic Cultivations in Fluid Media.” By Walter H.

‘‘ On the Determination of Glycerol in Crude Glycerines.” By J. Lewkowitsch,

(‘ Note on the Determination of Casein precipitated by Rennet.” By H. Droop

(‘ A Plea for the More Extended Consideration of Physics in Analyticd Methods.”

Jolly man.

M.A., Ph.D.

Richmond.

By H. Droop Richmond.

( ( Note on Adulterated Beeswax.” By Otto Hehner. ‘( The Solubility of certain Salts in Ether.” (‘ Recent Advances in the Bacteriological Examination of Water.” By W. H.

(‘ The Ash of British Pharmacopceia Drugs.” By William Chattaway and C. G.

(‘ Existing Defects and Possible Improvements in the Laws relating to Adultera-

“ The Composition of Milk.” “ Note on the Determination of Mineral Oil in Resin Oil.” By J. Lewkowitsch,

M.A., Ph.D. “ The Detection and Estimation of Mineral Acids in Acetic Acid and Vinegar.”

By Philip Schidrowitz, Ph,D. “ A Case of Pollution by Wood-pulp Sulphite Liquor,” and “Note on some

Reactions of Sulphite Wood Liquor.” By E. J. Bevan, Bertram Blount. and Otto Hehner.

“ Some Methods of Discriminating between Egyptian and Bombay Cotton- seed Cakes,” and ‘‘ Hair-balls in Sheep.” By J. Augustus Voelcker, M.A., Ph.D.

‘( The Determination of Available Phosphoric Acid and Potash in Calcareous Soils.” By H. H. Cousins, M.A. (Oxon), and H. S. Hammond.

‘‘ Note on a Reaction for Nitrites.” By W. A. Blunt. “ The Salinity of Waters from the Oolifes.” By W. W. Fisher, M.A. ‘‘ Some Indian Oils.” By J. Lewkowitsch, M.A., Ph.D. “ Differentiation of Linseed Oil from Boiled Oils.” By J. Lewkowitsch,

M.A., Ph.D. “ Note on the Purification of Hydrochloric Acid and Zinc from Arsenic.” By

L. T. Thorne, Ph.D., and E. H. Jeffers.

Note on some Vanadium Reactions.” By C. A. Mitchell, B.A. (Oxon.).

By Otto Hehner.

Jolly man.

Moor, M.A. (Cantab.).

tion.” By Alfred H. Allen. By H. Droop Richmond.

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72 TEE ANALYST.

“The Characteristics of aome Almond and Allied Oils.” By J. Lewkowitech,

‘( Note on the Examination of Sperm Oil.” By L. Myddleton Nash. “ The Estimation of Aldehydes and Ketones in Essential Oile.” By Herbert E.

The following exhibits were shown at the meetings : ‘ I Seal with Moveable Letters and Figures for Samples taken under the Sale of

Food and Drugs Acts.” “ Radium Bromide and its Emanations as shown by the Spinthariscope and

Screen coated with Barium Platinocyanide, also Photographs taken by and illustrating the Penetrating Power of the Rays from Radium.” By T. Fairley.

The following reprints have been issued by permission from the Chemical Society : ‘‘ The Estimation of Arsenic in Fuel.” By T. E. Thorpe, C.B., F.R.S. “ The Electrolytic Estimation of Minute Quantities of Areenic, more especially

Also reprinted from circular issued by the Board of Agriculture :

M A , Ph.D.

B urgese.

By W. Chattaway.

in Brewing Materials.” By T. E. Thorpe, C.B., F.R.S.

Analyses of Reserved Milk Samples.”

These papers do not quite come to the proportion of one paper to ten of our members.

One of the most important papers of the year, involving a very great amount of work, was that by Mr. Fisher “ On the Salinity of Waters from the Oolites.” This research must be of the greatest value to all who are interested in underground wstere, especially those of the Oxfordshire district and the Thames Valley. Both geologists and chemists will anxiously watch for a continuance of Mr. Fisher’s work in this direction.

Mr. Jollyman’s paper on ‘‘ Recent Advances in the Bacteriological Examination of Water ” attracted much interest, as he claimed a stronger position for bacterio- logical examination than chemists as yet are prepared to admit.

Mr. Droop Richmond’s annual report on the ( ( Composition of Milk ’’ analysed during the year is valuable as affording cumulative evidence of the constancy of the composition of milk titken under normal conditions.

I n ‘‘ Food and Drugs Analysis ” we have had comparatively few papers bearing on the subject during the year. “The Ash of British Pharmacopmia Drugs,” by Messrs. Chattaway and Moor, and “ The IMection rmd Hstimation of Nineral Acids in Acetic Acid and Vinegar,” by Dr. Schidrowitz, are the only papers bearing directly on the subject, though Dr. Voelcker gave two interesting communications bearing on animal foods.

The subjeot of oil analysis ha8 been prominently before the Society at many of the meetings. The darkness and uncertainty which has l a g clouded this branch of our work is being gradually,zemoved by the researuhes of Messrs. Hehner, Lewko- witsch, and others, who devote themselvas,specially to this subject.

I shall refer later to Mr. Allen’s paper on. the laws relating to adulteration in another part of this address.

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THE ANALYST. 73

I n addition to these original papers and reprinta, abatracts of the following papers have been given in the Journal :

Food and drugs analysis ... ... ... ... ... 120 Toxicological analysis , . . ... ... ... ... 5 Organic analysis ... ... ... ... ... 126 Inorganic analysis ... ... ... ... ... ... 181 Apparatus ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 38

Total number of abstracts ... ... ... 470 --

Also there was printed (ANALYST, vol. xxviii., p. 165) a High Court decision in a case under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts relating to the decomposition clause in the certificate.

The original papers, although their number has been exceeded in some paet years, are yet of considerable value and importance. I n thanking the authors for .each of their contributions, I would point out that the fact of there being some willing workers in our Soeietydoes not relieve the rest of us from trying to contribute papers, and so adding even a little to the common good. The careful study and comparison of methods and the determination of constants under properly-specified conditions are not less important than new discoveries. There is great need for analytical revision in many directions, and, in connection with a scheme which has received the warm approval of the Council, a small fund has been established for the pul’pose of defraying out-of-pocket expenses. Several investigations are at present in progress under this scheme. We are falling behind both Germany and America in research work in analytical chemistry, and each member of this Society should do his utmost, not only to remove this reproach, but to seek to restore to’ us a fmnt rank in the cultivation of this branch of our science.

The work dione in the editing of papers and abstracts in the Journal maintains its high character, and shows that in this respect we are not falling behind The Society is greatly indebted to the Editorial Committee and to Dr. Sykes for their devoted services.

X number of interesting departmental and other reports have been published during the past twelve months, and have received considerable notice in the public press. Attention has thus been drawn in a special manner to the workiug of the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, and we now hope for a growing education of public opinion and a desire for improvement. How great the need for such improvement is, is well described in articles in Nature of December 24 and 31, 1903, pp. 179 and 201. Dis- cussing the Final Report of the Royal Commission on Arsenical Poisoning and the Final Report of the Butter Regulations Committee, along with the general working of the Acts, the writer says: “The Food and Drugs Acts are now upwards of a third of a century old. They have been considered and reconsidered by Parliament at various times, even down to the year 1899, and in the consideration have had to run the gauntlet of much deliberate~obsbruction from faddists, federations, and that class of Free-Fooders which regards any legislative interference with the buying and selling of anything of tha.natura lof food, however bad, as noxious economic heresy, and a restriction of the free play of competition. That the Acta contain compromises,

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74 THE ANALYST,

inconsistencies, and anomalies is well known to those who have anything to do with their administration. Nor has the judge-made law by which these anomalies have been interpreted tended to their smoother working; indeed, it has caused them to be absolutely inoperative in certain directions. How imperfect tha Acts are i s strikingly exemplified in the two papers before us.”

In the second article the writer points out how Section 3 of the 1875 Act ‘( is so worded that it is almost impossible to obtain convictions under it ” for adulteration with substances injurious to health, which involve heavy penalties. The local authorities, therefore, almost invariably proceed under Section 6, for which the penalty exacted is often trivial. He also points out that, in the interests of revenue, prompt action can and has been taken, while, in the interests of .public health, much mischief may be done before any steps can be taken.

A very full abstract of the Final Report of the Royal Commission on Arsenical Poisoning appears in the February number of the Journal. Some of the recommenda- tions made at the end of the Report had already been made by our Council before the passing of the Act of 1899, and one, relating to the association of intermediate vendors, importers, or manufacturers with the retailer in one prosecution, in cases of warranty, was recommended by Mr. Allen in his paper read before this Society last year on May 6. The adoption of the recommendations of the Cornmimion, or of the alternatives proposed by Dr. Thorpe, would tend to remove some of the existing defects pointed out by Mr. Allen in his paper. Amongst other defects still to be dealt with is that arising from the imperfect sealing of samples taken under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts. With a view to further steps being initiated, your Council earnestly request members who can state cases of supposed tampering with samples to communicate’ with the secretaries, and circulars have been sent asking for this inf ormst ion.

Another defect arises from the definition of the word ‘‘ article,” used throughout the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, by Mr. Justice Ridley in the case of Mason v. Cowdary (2 Q.B.D., 1900, 419). Mr. Justice Ridley adopts the strict etymological meaning of the word ( ( article ’I as “ a small part,” and ignores the derived meaning of the word given in most dictionaries as “ a particular commodity”-not in relation to quantity, as used by people in business in everyday life. By the above decision each package, bottle, etc., however small, is an “article,” and must be divided as the Acts require ; while the statements of persons without of3icial or other responsibility have been accepted as enabling a magistrate to decide as to how minute a, quantity a,

Public Analyst should be bound to make an analysis of. An analysis of a suspected sample is a cross-examination. If penal consequences arise, each analyst should decide for himself the extent of that examination, acting, of course, within reasonable limits, just as a barrister has reasonable scope and uses his own discretion in cross- examinations.

The Committee on Butter Regulations, appointed in July, 1901, have now made their Final Report. They were asked ‘‘ to inquire and report as to what regulations, if any, may with advantage be made under Seotion 4 of the sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1899, for determining what deficiency in any of the norm&& constituents of butter, or what addition of extraneous matter or propertion of water, in any sample of butfer

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Page 6: The President's annual address

THE ANALYST. 76

shall, for the purposes of the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, raise a presumption, until the contrary is proved, that the butter is not genuine.”

In 1902 they issued an interim report, and the Board of Agriculture published regulations respecting the proportion of water that should .not be exceeded in butter. This limit, which had been approved of by this Society, worked well in practice, but failed to check the sale where a higher proportion of water had been declared before purchaae, or a special name given to the material. These and other reasons led the late Mr. Hanbury to introduce eb Bill to regulate the sale of adulterated butter and maxgarine. This was, however, afterwards withdrawn by Mr. Hanbury’s successor, who promised to introduce a Bill into Parliament this year dealing with the same objects.

The Butter Regulations Committee have now issued their Final Report dealing with the remainder of the reference submitted to them, and make the following recommendations :

1. That the figure 24 arrived at by the Reichert-Wollny method should be the limit, below which a presumption should be raised that the butter is not genuine.

2. That the use of 10 per cent. of sesame oil in the manufacture of margarine should be made compulsory.

3. That steps be taken to obtain international co-operation. Nos. 2 and 3 were adopted unanimously by the Committee. The recommenda-

tion No. 2 is already in force in Germany, in Austria, and in Belgium, and is contem- plated in France. No. 3 was a recommendation of the Dairy Congress held at Bruasels on April 27 and 28, 1902.

The recommendation No. 1 was adopted by a majority of the Committee-ten niembers out of fourteen.

Many of the countries exporting butter to this country have organized State control over their production, and by international co-operation or agreement to eecure uniformity the value of the control would be greatly increased.

Major Craigie, the representative of the Board of Agriculture on the Committee, would support the use of the number 24 as a limit rather than any other number above or below 24, but thinks that before adopting any such limit the exhaustive inquiry advised by the Committee in paragraph 24 of the Report should be made and concluded. H e strongly supports the claim made for a “special inquiry into the numerous factors, other than the addition of foreign fat, which affect the normal proportions of the volatile acids in genuine butter made within the United Kingdom.” Two of the other dissentients support the claim for further inquiry, and one of these, with one other, prefers the number 23 Reichert-Wollny to 24. Thus, thirteen out of fourteen members support the adoption of a limit of some kind.

The Council of your Society and some of its members who have special experience in this subject recommended, through their representatives, a course practically agreeing with that adviped by Major Craigie. They did this after collating the replies received from many Public Analysts, and these revealed much diversity of opinion on the subject.

No doubt to have a definite limit (even if a low one) secures uniformity, and especially so when it is ~oupled with a, standard method. The objections are : Is it

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76 THE ANALYST.

wise to impose a limit until after the exhaustive inquirfrecommended 3 Would the adoption of this limit and standard method tend to check the constant search for improved methods of analysis? I t is certain that the application of scientific discovery to manufacturing industry will be continued, and may at any time render a standard method useless.

The inquiries made up to the present relate chiefly to foreign butters. They show that many of the conditions affecting the proportion of the volatile acid8 in butter are, as regards the cows, the same as those which affect the quality of milk:

1. Exposure of the animals to cold, especially in northern countries, as is shown in butters produced in the late autumn.

2. Insufficient nourishment from scanty or improper food. 3. The period of lactation-the volatile acids are highest soon after calving. 4. The breed and the idiosyncrasy of the cow. I n addition to these, I suggest one other: the length of time between the

milkings, as i t is well known that the fat in milk diminishes if retained in the udder beyond a certain time. Evidently some absorption of fat from the milk takes place, and it is a matter for inquiry whether the absorption is a selective one. Probably this effect is intensified or increased if, _during a ’prolonged interval between the milkings, the animal is insufficiently fed or unduly exposed to cold.

It is also a matter for physiological inqulry as to whether these abnormal milks and butters are of the same dietetic value as normal milks and butters. The natural food of very young animals is that best suited to their powers of digestion. Putting in place of the young, those of weak digestive powers (and many town-dwellers following sedentary occupations are of this class), normal milk and butter would appear to be best adapted for their nourishment.

I n very cold countries during the winter season the digestive and assimilative powers for fatty substances of all kinds seem to be greatly increased. This suggests the query, Is not the milk, and consequently the butter, specially adapted for the Eood of animals living in those climates?

At present it is found that the composition of butter from one country may differ materially from the average supplied by another country. A Reichert-Wdny number applicable to all must be a lower minimum than would be necessary if limits were specified for each country. The general average of butters supplied in this country, including both home and foreign production, gives, according to Mr. Hehner, a Reichert-Wollny number of 29.

In the Annual Report issued by the Intelligence Division of the Board of Agriculture for the year 1902 there is published a paper by Dr. Thorpe “On the Nature of Butter-fat, and on the Causes affecting its Character.” To those who wish for a concise summary of our present knowledge on the butter from different countries, on the tests for its purity, on the influence of different foods on butter, and on the causes of the flavour and rancidity of butter, I commend this paper. The Minister of Agriculture has promised to bring in a Bill, during this Session of Parlia- ment, dealing with the regulations affecting the sale of butter, etc.

Two very important volumes have been recently published by the Local Govern- ment Board as supplements to the Reports of the Medical Officer of the Board for

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THE ANALYST. 77

1901 and 1902 6‘ On Lead Poisoning and Water-Supplies.” To all those who live in districts supplied with soft water, or have to do with the analysis of soft waters, these volumes are worthy of careful study.

From investigations made at Sheffield seventeen years ago, Dr. Power con- cluded that a, chief factor in causing acidity in moorland waters was the action of certain bacteria on peaty soils in the presence of moisture. This view is now fully confirmed by the exhaustive obsemations and experiments carried out by Dr. Houston.

The first volume, issued last year, contains very full descriptions of the various water-supplies and moorland gathering grounds of the chief towns in the West Riding of Yorkshire and the adjacent parts of Lancashire, copiously illustrated with maps and diagrams. Numerous analyses are given, and also ample data relating to the surveys of the gathering grounds made during the year 1891 and onwards.

The second volume, just issued, discusses the question of plumbo-solvency in all its bearings ; the causes of the acidity of moorland waters ; gives the results of many thousands of laboratory experiments, both chemical and bacteriological, and is fully illustrated.

In the conclusions at the end of the second report the question of standards is discussed ; Dr. Houston, however, prefers not to give a limit for the amount of lead in drinking water. The different susceptibility of different individuals to the influence of lead, the divergent views expressed by different authorities as to what quantity is to be considered a poisonous dose when taken from day to day for an indefinite period, and the cumulative character of the poison, are considerations of too grave a nature to allow of any dogmatic statement being made.”

The treatment of acid moorland waters with silica in any form does l t not leave them in a safe condition as regards corrosion. Sodium carbonate in exact amount is one of the best remedial agents.”

These reports and papers show the activity of these Government departments? and they form the best defence for their continued existence. Similarly, the amount and quality of the work done in our Society, through its members, must always constitute its chief claim to existence, and from the beginning we have welcomed into our midst every analyst, oiiicial or non-official, likely to contribute valuable papers; indeed, but for this, the sustaining of the Journal might at times have been doubtful.

In order to strengthen our Society, it would be well in the future to try to promote a, greater community of feeling, or collective cohesion, among the members, especially the country members. I n this respect I think i t was a distinct loss that the country meetings were given up. The town members meet frequently, and the Society’s meetings serve as a sort of minor club to them; but country members, living at a distance, can rarely share in this advantage. If the analysts in one part of the country could meet quarterly, or even half-yearly, to discuss matters of common interest, I think we might have an accession of new members. We have had in the North a, small association of this kind for some time, and, judging by the attendance and feeling shown by the members, they appreciate greatly the advantage of these local meetings. Some of our most successful societies owe much

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78 THE ANALYST.

of their success to having local centres of life-in other words, local meetings and sections. I commend this proposal to you for consideration, and now beg to thank you for the patience and courtesy with which you have listened to this address.

In conclusion, I heartily thank you all for doing me the honour to ask me to occupy this chair at your meetings. It has been to me a pleasant and a willing service, though not always as perfectly performed as I could have wished. I have been constantly helped by my predecessors and other members of the Council, and especially by your untiring ‘Secretaries, Messrs. Bevan and Chapman.

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