BIOGRAPHY OF JAMES LESLIE THOMSON 317 tions Board of the National Re- search Council. Since coming to Canada, Mr. Thomson has not engaged exten- sively in professional Society activi- ties but was formerly a member of the Society of Chemical Industry, London, the Roentgen Society, and the Royal Scottish Society of Arts, having served a term as Member of Council for the latter. His broad experience in the field of chemistry, his generosity and natural Scottish wit make him a very valu- able member of the team at the Food and Drug Laboratories in Ottawa. He has shown his ability as a valu- able court witness on a number of occasions where fraudulent claims were made. Mr. Thomson is a fond lover of domestic animals and many stray cats have found bed and board under his roof. He is reported to have asked for Income Tax exemption for boarding some animal friends. Mr. Thomson has been interested in photography since schooldays, both in black and white and color visitors at his apartment have marveled at his innovations in con- verting the kitchen into a dark room. He can repair watches, clocks, and photographic shutters, and somehow finds time to read a little, preferably military and naval history (I believe he could tell you the battle order of the Saxons at Hastings). He likes rowing and climbing for exercise but misses the Potomac for the one, and his native mountains for the other. The granting of the honorary membership in the SoeIF.2p¾ Or COSMETIC CHEMISTS is considered a very great honor by Mr. Thomson personally, but in addition, the Food and Drug Divisions of Can- ada consider it an honor to have a man on their staff who has gained such a recognition by his colleagues.

ACCEPTANCE OF HONORARY MEMBERSHIP' By J^Mv.S L. TOMSON Head of Cosmetic and Color Section, Food and Drug Division, Department of National Health and I4/elfare, Ottawa, Ont. Mr. President and Members of the SOCIETY: IT •S extraordinarily kind of the Board of Directors to recom- mend, and of you to agree, that I be offered an Honorary Membership of the SocmT¾ or COSMETIC CHEM- iSTS. For, in spite of the flatter- ing words to which you have just listened, I have really done nothing deserving of so signal an honor. Your reward, gentlemen, is over- generous for the little I have been able to do for cosmetics. By the thoughtfulness, in the first place, of my old friend Dan Dahle, and later others, I have been privileged to attend many of the meetings of the SOmETY during the last few years. I have listened to your proceedings with interest and much profit, and have made many good friends, but I never dreamt that I should one day address you as an Honorary Member. In the words of the Armed Services, you have achieved "complete surprise." I must confess to something of a feeling of inadequacy in trying to say "thank you" properly, for in selecting me, you are also reflect- ing honor on my Department and on your good neighbor, Canada. In such a case the plainest of words is often best so I shall say simply and most sincerely that I thank you very much...that I have the greatest pleasure in accepting, and that I agree to abide by the ethics laid down in the Rules of the SOCIETY. It was suggested that I might say something to you of the present position of cosmetics in Canada in relation to the Food and Drugs Act, and its regulations. My first reac- tion was that this might not be a very suitable theme for a gathering of chemists, but I realized that many of you, if not actually engaged in management, will certainly beclosely associated with it. A few words on the subject are not amiss there- fore, especially as specific cosmetic regulations are likely to be pro- claim'ed in the near future.* Ena- bling legislation regarding the regula- tion of cosmetics was included, among other changes, in an amend- * Proclaimed July 7, 1952. 318