52 
THE CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST. 
November, 1881. 
Although the members were elected by the pharmaceutical 
chemists of Victoria, they were responsible to the Chief 
Secretary of the colony for the working of the “ Pharmacy 
Act and so well had it worked, he was pleased to say, 
tbat during the five years it had been in force there had 
not been a single hitch. Some persons had attempted to 
commence business as chemists without proving their capa- 
bility ; but they had been stopped, and he would take this 
opportunity of stating that the police of the colony did their 
duty well in quickly prosecuting for breaches of the Act. The 
members of the board were the overseers of the rising students 
in pharmacy, and they felt their responsibility. He would say 
now, without egotism, that the examination was equal to that 
in Great Britain. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Johnson, Mr. Blackett, 
and their humble servant each strove in their respective 
departments to so rigidly examine, that no certificate should 
issue from the board unless the applicant had fully proved 
himself entitled to it. (Applause.) In these days there was a 
great deal being said about the adulteration of food and every- 
thing else, and there was no doubt that the men to deal 
thoroughly with such subjects must come from pharmaceutical 
chemists. (Applause.) 
Mr. F. S. Grim wade proposed *• The Pharmaceutical Society 
of Great Britain, and Kindred Societies,” and said that in May 
last the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain held its 
fortieth annual dinner. The main object of the society was 
the promotion of the science of pharmacy. How well it had 
carried out the intention of its founders could be estimated by 
comparing the position of pharmacists of the present day with 
that of forty years ago. Members of the Pharmaceutical 
Society were connected with the Boyal Society, Society of 
Chemists, the Institute of Chemistry, and in fact more or less 
were connected with nearly all the scientific societies. Speak- 
ing of the Pharmaceutical Society, a whole host of names 
crowded one’s memory — Jacob Bell, Allen, Pareira, Hanbury, 
Fownes, Sandford, Dean, Burtley, Redwood, Greenish, 
Schacht, and others who had distinguished themselves. The 
Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain should be revered 
and honoured by pharmacists in all parts of Her Majesty’s 
dominions. (Applause.) The more honour we paid to the 
Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain and the names cele- 
brated in connection with it, the more should we appreciate 
our own society, and as time rolled on, we, too, should have 
the names of men who had distinguished themselves. We had 
our Johnson, Bosisto, Blackett, Bowen, and others, who would 
be held up as examples to our coming pharmacists of men who 
had laboured hard to promote the best interests of their pro- 
fession in this country. He called upon the company to 
honour the toast, coupled with the name of Mr. W. Johnson. 
(Applause.) 
Mr. Johnson briefly returned thanks, and caused some 
amusement by relating his experiences during the time he was 
an apprentice, when he had much “ dirty work ” to perform ; 
work with “ good honest dirt,” he said, which no man need be 
ashamed of, but which the apprentices of the present day were 
not expected to undertake. 
Mr. C. R. Blackett proposed “ The Medical Society of Vic- 
toria, and Kindred Societies.” He said the medical profession 
in Victoria was worthy of its great origin. What profession, 
he asked, could be more noble ? The healing art was the most 
noble of all. He placed it above divinity. (Hear, hear.) 
Very soon, he believed, the art of medicine would become a 
fixed and positive science. It was necessary to constantly 
bear in mind that the professions must be kept apart, each 
working in its own line. They were distinct from each other, 
and the aim of all should be to keep pharmacy to itself and 
medicine to itself. That there were those who did not 
endeavour to do this was evident from an advertisement which 
appeared in the last nnmber of The Australasian Medical 
Gazette , published in Sydney. He would read the advertise- 
ment : — “ An experienced pharmaceutical and consulting 
chemist wishes to hear of an opening. A country district pre- 
ferred, where there is no opposition, and, if possible, no 
medical practitioner residing in the neighbourhood. Address 
— ‘ J.G.,’ Australasian Medical Gazette Office.” (Loud 
laughter.) It was much to be regretted that such an adver- 
tisement was allowed to appear. He concluded by coupling 
with the toast the names of Dr. Robertson and Dr. Neild. 
In the absence of the former gentleman, who had been called 
away, 
Dr. Gillbee responded for the Medical Society of Victoria, 
and said that he and his fellow medical men in the colony 
placed the utmost confidence in the pharmacists. 
Dr. Neild replied for the Victorian branch of the British Medi- 
cal Association. He referred to the advertisement brought under 
the notice of the company by Mr. Blackett, and said the only 
way he could account for its appearance in the Gazette was that 
it had escaped the notice of the editor. The enterprising spirit 
of the publisher of a newspaper was always in excess of the zeal 
of the editor. (Laughter.) 
Baron von Mueller responded for the Royal Society. 
The next toast was “ Our Visitors,” proposed by Mr. 
A. T. Best. 
Mr. Rivers Langton (Great Britain) replied. He thanked 
Mr. Best for the flattering reference he had made to him in 
proposing the toast of the visitors, and begged to assure him 
that no language he could command would express half the 
pleasure and astonishment he had felt at what he had seen 
during his visit to the great Australian colonies. The pre- 
sident in his speech had alluded to the International Exhi- 
bition of 1851, which had aroused in Englishmen a desire to 
travel and become personally acquainted with the continental 
cities of Europe, and he was sure the splendid exhibition 
recently held in Melbourne would attract Europeans to visit 
the colonies. At present at home there was the greatest ignor- 
ance as to the boundless resources of Australia, and English- 
men had only to come and experience their delightful climate, 
and have their eyes opened as to what really was taking place 
at the antipodes. He was glad to see such a gathering of the 
medical profession, and to notice the good feeling and una- 
nimity which existed between them and the Pharmaceutical 
Society ; and he had no doubt there was a bright future before 
the rising pharmacists. It required an educated man well up 
in his profession to properly dispense drugs, and it was gratify- 
ing to observe that in these colonies the medical profession 
appreciated the labours of the pharmacists. In his younger 
days he had been dazzled and delighted with the charming tales 
in the Arabian Nights ; but no tale of wonder and romance 
in that entertaining book could compare with the history 
of this beautiful city of Melbourne. There was a splendid 
future before the great Australian continent. He had 
travelled much, and visited the centres of industry in 
many lands, but the most metropolitan city of all, to his mind, 
was Melbourne (applause), and he did not know which to ad- 
mire most, the beauty of the city, or the perseverance and 
energy which had created it. But perseverance and energy 
were inherent in the British nature, and always made their 
way to the front, as exemplified in the career of the great 
statesman whose life was so recently closed, who, with the 
disadvantages of birth and prejudice, raised himself to the 
proud position of Prime Minister of England. The story of 
this wonderful city of the goldfields would yet form the 
theme of the poet’s song and delight, and enrapture genera- 
tions yet unborn. It had been a peculiar pleasure to him to 
be present at this gathering this evening, having experienced 
so much kindness and courtesy, not only from the pharmacists 
of Victoria, but throughout the whole of the Australian colo- 
nies ; nor could he forget the high compliment paid him by 
the society in electing him as one of their delegates to repre- 
sent the colony in the congress held so recently in London, 
and a similar compliment was paid him by the sister colony of 
New South Wales ; and it had been a matter of great regret to 
him that his business engagements had prevented his being 
present. He congratulated the society on the able address of 
their president, and was sure the chemists of Australia would 
play a part worthy of the glorious future of these great 
colonies. 
Mr. W. H. H. Lane (America) said — Mr. President and 
gentlemen of the Pharmaceutical Society — I have much 
pleasure in saying a few words in response to the toast you 
have so highly honoured ; but, after the remaks of my worthy 
friend, Mr. Langton, and his eulogistic compliments to the 
United States, I can say but little on our own behalf. There is 
an old and true saying, that “ birds of a feather flock together,” 
and you will find it verified the world over. When I came here 
this evening I had no idea that I should be called on for any 
remarks, but it seems that it is to be otherwise. I have the 
honour of being one of your profession, and I am very proud 
of it. In the year 1876, at our great exhibition held in the 
city of Philadelphia, I well remember seeing the exhibits of 
this colony, and among them those of Mr. Bosisto, and also 
some of our friend Baron von Mueller’s works. I assure 
you, gentlemen, that Victoria is far better known in 
the States than you are aware of ; but I certainly admit 
that when I first set out for this country, some three 
and a-half years ago, I was advised by some of my friends 
