THE AUSTRALASIAN 
journal uf Pbmrm&rg. 
No. 8.] AUGUST, 1886. [Vol. I. 
(EteigJn&I itnfr 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY OF AUSTRALASIA.— 
ITS BIRTH AND PROGRESS. 
A history of pharmacy in Victoria, to be of any value, must necessarily extend 
over a considerable space of reading matter, since the chronicle dates back to so 
remote a year as 1857, and the narrative must be largely composed of extracts 
from the official records. In proposing to ourselves the task of supplying such a 
history, we have fully considered that we must be prepared to devote a material 
portion of our space to its service; but we hope, by extending the work over 
several chapters, that we shall succeed in not too greatly encroaching upon our 
columns, while we make no doubt that we shall be doing the profession a service 
very grateful to its members. 
The story of the birth and progress of the Pharmaceutical Society of 
Australasia commences with the record of a meeting of the chemists and druggists 
held at the house of Mr. Croad, Bourke- street, Melbourne, on 16th February, 
1857, when “a committee was appointed to watch the ‘Poisons Bill’ introduced 
into the Legislative Council by Dr. Tierney ; and also to take such measures as 
might be necessary for the purpose of forming an Association of Chemists and 
Druggists similar to that already existing in England under the title of The 
Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.” The constitution of the committee is 
shown by the report, which also fully reviews the state of pharmaceutical affairs 
then existent, and embodies the matter of the record just stated. 
The committee held several meetings at the residence of Mr. Glover, Collins- 
street, and the chemists and druggists were formally summoned, by advertisement 
and circular, to the Mechanics’ Institute (now the Melbourne Athenaeum) on 6th 
March of the year named. The meeting was presided over by Hon. J. Hood, 
M.L.C., and the committee’s report was formally presented : — 
“In consequence of the various attempts that have been made of late to 
interfere, by legislative enactment and otherwise, with the chemists and druggists 
of this colony (Victoria), it has been thought by many of the principal members 
of the trade in and around Melbourne that an organisation should be instituted 
for the purpose of protecting the trade generally, and also for elevating its 
character and position. These ideas were, however, allowed to slumber until Dr. 
Tierney brought into the Legislative Council his ‘Poisons Bill,’ for the regulation 
of the sale and the safe keeping of all poisons and deleterious drugs. On the 
appearance of the bill the trade felt justly indignant that a measure likely to 
affect their interests so materially should have been introduced without any 
consultation, and accordingly met in considerable numbers at the house of Mr. 
Croad, and determined to at once send in a petition against the passing of such 
