BULLETIN of the LLOYD LIBRARY of BOTANY, PHARMACY AND MATERIA MEDICA J. U. & C. G. LLOYD PHARMACY SERIES, No. I REFERENCES TO CAPILLARITY Being CHAPTER VII of By John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M. The References collected and abstracted under the auspices of John Uri Lloyd By Sigmund Waldbott, Ph. D. Librarian of the Lloyd Library "REFERENCES TO CAPILLARITY" About 1880, the undersigned became interested in capillary phenomena, especially the phenomenon of the pendent drop that becomes manifest when mixtures of a heavy liquid, as for example, chloroform, and a lighter, immiscible liquid of greater capillarity, for example, water, are shaken together in a vial and allowed to separate. This pendent drop, seemingly heretofore unobserved, invariably forms under these conditions and, a constant factor, always droops from the centre of the surface of the lighter liquid. Its study led to an interesting line of experimental investigations, which yet under consideration, involve the surface contact of immiscible liquids, and the meniscus that forms between them. About 1890 considerable journalistic discussion arose concerning the field of the pharmacist's labors and the pharmacist's opportunities in recreative thought and experimental investigation. With a view to illustrating the fact that most entrancing opportunities are ever open in our own province, the afore-named striking phenomenon, apparently insignificant, that for years had led the author to much pleasurable research, was taken as a text. But before venturing to introduce the subject of his investigations publicly, it became necessary to determine that the field had not been preoccupied. With this intent, a résumé of the literature on capillarity was attempted, and in 1894, under the title "A Study in Pharmacy," the first fascicle preliminary to its consideration was distributed to a select list of recipients presumed to be concerned in such studies. It would not have been possible for the undersigned to have even thought of making this record of the special references to capillarity had it not been for the co-operation of Dr. Sigmund Waldbott, Librarian of the Lloyd Library, who, appreciating the necessity for thoroughness, with vigor and persistence, set about the work of correlating the literature on that subject. As the work progressed, it became evident that the field was much greater even than could possibly have been anticipated, many connecting lines, such as electrical phenomena and other phases of physics and chemistry, becoming involved. Extended time was thus found to be a necessity for searching and making a comprehensive consideration of the literature consulted, which in the aggregate proved to be enormous. From 1894 to 1902, as fast as it was possible to complete them, fascicles of this research have been successively issued, the portion concerning capillary references bringing the work to the close of the nineteenth century. The result * A term coined by the writer as being expressive and appropriate. |