PREFACE. xxiii 



dence of the parties examined is most commonly a temporary 

 lodging near the hospital at which they attend. The money for 

 licences to belong to the Society of Apothecaries ; but the pe- 

 nalties for offences to be given, half to the informers and half to 

 the Society. Penalties above 51, recoverable by action, in the 

 name of the master, &c, of the Society, in any court of record ; 

 and under 5/. by distress, by warrant from any justice of the 

 peace; and if not sufficient distress, the person to be impri- 

 soned without bail for a time not exceeding a calendar montli. 

 (How a penalty of exactly 6L is to be recovered does not appear 

 on the Act.) " Not to prejudice or in any way affect the trade 

 or business of a chemist and druggist in the buying, preparing ^ 

 conipounditig, dispnmngy and vending drugs, medicines, and 

 medicinal compounds, wholesale and retail; but all persons 

 using and exercising the same trade or bushiess, shall and may 

 use, exercise, and carry on the same trade mid business in such 

 manner as fully and amply, to all intents and purposes, as the 

 .<am€ trade or business was used, exercised, or canned on by 

 chemists and druggists before the passing of this Act''' The 



ghts and privileges of the Universities, and the Colleges of 



hysicians and of Surgeons, and the Society of Apothecaries, 

 fully reserved ; and all actions limited to six months next 



'ter the fact committed, or the ceasing thereof if there was a 

 tinuation. 



The associated Apothecaries and Surgeon-apothecaries did not 

 oppose this bill ; yet they objected strongly, and still object, to 

 the clause which obliges a licensed apothecary to compound faith- 

 Jully the prescriptions of physicians, as keeping them still in the 

 rank of tradesmen, by obliging them to be sellers of medicines, 

 whether they would or not. 



This Act has had the singular fortune of being violently op- 

 posed, as insufficient, by those who were its original promoters, 

 of being esteemed as a burden by many of those whom it was 

 meant to benefit, and of being looked upon with indifference by 

 those against whom it was intended t'» "t. ^ince the Act was 

 altered and restricted to those who " ; is aix)thecaries," 



with an express declaration that it did not extend to the clie- 

 inists and druggists, whf>se shops are in general confounded with 

 tlxwc of the apothecaries, and wbose business differs no other- 



