THE AUSTRALASIAN 
journal of Hh&rm&cg. 
No. 12.] DECEMBER, 1886. [Vol. I. 
THE PHAEMACEUTICAL SOCIETY OP AU STEALASIA. — ITS BIETH 
AND PEOGEESS. 
No. Y. 
At a meeting on 29th. March, 1860, Mr. Ford having been elected president, Mr. 
Wragge vice-president, and Messrs. W. Dunstone and Kruse re-elected treasurer 
and hon. secretary respectively, the Council proceeded to consider the best means 
of rousing Victorian chemists and druggists out of their apathy as regards the 
society, the result of which was the despatch to every member of the trade in 
the colony of a circular letter earnestly appealing for “ co-operation and assistance 
towards enabling it successfully to surmount the numerous difficulties (chiefly of 
a pecuniary nature, arising mainly from the large arrears of subscriptions and 
other causes) which, it is to be regretted, have seriously interfered with the 
general usefulness of the society and pointing out, in conclusion, that, should 
this appeal be made in vain, an early dissolution of the society might be expected, 
“ as it will, of course, be quite impossible to carry on without funds ; and it is 
not probable that gentlemen forming the Council will any longer continue to 
waste their time and money for the benefit and advancement of a body so little 
capable of appreciating the sacrifice.” 
But the seed apparently fell on very stony ground, for, in an article in the 
Journal for October, six months afterwards, the writer, referring to its non- 
publication during a period of, twelve months, goes on to say: “The 
extreme indifference manifested as to the prosperity of an institution 
entirely devoted to the interests of the chemists and druggists in Victoria is 
matter at once for profoundest regret and astonishment. Is it that chemists 
here are intellectually behind most other professions and trades that they can- 
not be brought to see the advantages of union, and this, too, in the face of so 
many examples ? What can be the cause of the deep lethargy that characterises 
the body, and hangs upon it like a spell P” 
In the face of discouragement like this it is somewhat remarkable to 
find the Council on several occasions refusing to admit applicants for 
membership who failed to satisfy the required conditions, viz., a satis- 
factory assurance that the applicant had been “ duly educated to the 
trade.” At any cost they announced their firm determination to pre- 
serve the select character of the society. ITp to the present year all such 
applications had been decided by the Council as such ; but at a meeting held 
on 9th August it was decided to appoint a Board of Examiners, consisting of 
five of its members — three to form a quorum — who should be empowered to 
examine each applicant for membership “ as to his knowledge of the business 
