July, 1882. 
THE CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST. 
23 
for May and June ; Fragmenta Phytographice Australia, 
Vols. 7, 8, 9, and 10 ; Magnetic Survey of Victoria , from 1858 
to 1864 ; Natural History of Colony of Victoria , decades 1 to 
6 ; Deutch-Amerikanische Apotheker-Zeitung, May ; New 
York Druggists' Circular, June ; American Journal of Phar- 
macy, May ; Therapeutic Gazette, May ; “ Proceedings of the 
American Pharmaceutical Association,” 1881 ; Scientific 
American , 6th, 13th, 20th, and 27th May ; Messrs. Sleeman 
and Co.’s Export Drug Circular, May ; Chemical News , May ; 
the Quarterly Journal of the Microscopical Society of Victoria, 
August, 1879, May, 1880, April, 1882. 
S Y D N E Y. 
PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 
THe annual meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society of New 
South Wales was held on Wednesday evening, 14th June, in 
the boardroom of the society, Phillip-street. The meeting was 
very largely attended, being the most successful annual 
gathering held since the society came into existence. The 
president, Mr. F, Senior, J.P., occupied the chair. The secre- 
tary, Mr. W. T. Pinhey, having read the advertisement calling 
the meeting, the following report was submitted : — “ Four 
council, in submitting their sixth annual report, desire to 
record the gratifying result of their efforts during the past 
year. They have pleasure in stating that during the past year 
the names of thirty-four new members have been enrolled, an 
indication that the society is gaining increased confidence 
amongst those interested. They have to report also the en- 
gagement by them of Mr. Frederick Wright to deliver at the 
School of Arts a course of twelve lectures, which met with un- 
qualified success, the attendance having exceeded the most 
sanguine expectations, and those who attended them having 
expressed themselves satisfied, and benefited by the same. 
Arrangements have been made with Mr. Wright to deliver a 
second course of lectures, which will commence next month. 
The council have, during the past year, added many valuable 
works to the library on materia medica , pharmacy, and 
chemistry, by purchase and gifts, and they would seriously 
urge upon associates and apprentices the propriety of making 
greater use of all the means afforded for their mental improve- 
ment. The members have been supplied, gratuitously, during 
the past year with the London Chemist and Druggist, which 
they, the council, are led to believe is fully appreciated, as 
containing much valuable and reliable information of import- 
ance to the chemist. The council anticipated that during 
the last session of Parliament a bill would have been intro- 
duced to have the effect (as stated in the last annual report) 
‘ of raising the status of the chemist, and giving assurance to 
the public that in future none but those qualified to deal in or 
dispense medicines will be permitted to do so.’ In this they 
have been disappointed, but they will use all the means at 
their command to get it accomplished during the coming 
session. The council have thankfully to acknowledge the 
report for the past year of the American Journal of Pharmacy ; 
also, from the Pharmaceutical Society of Victoria, the last an- 
nual report and Supplement to the London Chemist and 
Druggist , &c. It is earnestly hoped that the pharmaceutical 
chemists will heartily co-operate with the council in provid- 
ing means to extend the usefulness of your society, which, 
although yet in its infancy, promises to be one of the perma- 
nent institutions of the land, in which the public as well as 
the chemist have unquestionably a direct interest.” 
Mr. Wm. Larmer, in moving the adoption of the report, 
said that it certainly commended itself for their approbation. 
It was as exhaustive as it was possible for it to be, and the 
statement made in it as to the financial affairs of the society 
very satisfactory ; and he felt sure that in the future the efforts 
put forth by the council would be equally as worthy of praise, 
and would be equally as appreciated. He had heard it said 
that the calling of the medical man was almost divine ; 
surely, if that were so, the calling of the chemist was equally 
so, for he compounded the medicines that were administered, 
and life and death lay in his hands. However, be that as it 
might, he could not say the calling of the chemist was a for- 
tune-making one. Chemists were too greatly handicapped, 
various causes militating against their success. One of these 
causes was medical men dispensing their own prescriptions. 
He thought this infra dig. The motto of the two bodies 
should be “ live and let live.” Another matter was that of 
wholesale chemists doing a retail business. The chemist’s 
business, he remarked, was also limited. He could not offer 
his wares, as did those in other trades, by advertising “an 
alarming sacrifice hence his privileges needed to be the 
more closely conserved. The council of the society, however, 
were doing their best to promote the welfare of the trade. 
Some of the members were getting grey in the service, and 
when the time came that they should be succeeded by others 
he hoped their successors would also receive the help the 
present members had received from their excellent secretary, 
whose judgment and experience were so great that the speaker 
hardly knew what they would do without him. 
Mr. J. Henry, in seconding the adoption of the report, 
referred to the subject of medical men in the city and suburbs 
dispensing their own medicines. If they were in their own 
right as medical men to dispense medicines, he would be con- 
tent ; but he objected to their doing so on the grounds they 
stated — first, that they could not trust most of the chemists and 
druggists to keep pure medicines ; secondly, that they charged 
enormously for their medicines. As to the first charge, it was 
untrue, and he was sure many of the chemists were more com- 
petent to make up medicines and understood their physiologi- 
cal action better than many medical men. As to the second 
charge, it was also untrue. Then there was also the charge 
made against them by the doctors that they practised. Well, 
for his part, not having a license to kill, he preferred sending 
all the patients to the medical men. He contended, not that 
it was unfair for medical men to dispense their own prescrip- 
tions, but that it was unfair for them to do so on the grounds 
that chemists were dishonest men, who would not give good 
medicines, and that they were extortioners. He referred to 
the necessity of the young chemists in their midst endeavour- 
ing to attain a high status of education. He would indeed 
wish to see them reach that of a medical degree, and then no 
such charge as that it was dangerous to allow a chemist to 
dispense medicines could be made against them by the medical 
men. In conclusion, he paid a tribute to the secretary, to 
whom the society, he thought, owed a great deal of its present 
prosperity. 
Mr. F. Wright entered a protest against what had been said 
by the mover of the motion as to the wholesale houses doing a 
very large retail trade. Even if it were so, the remedy lay 
with the chemists and druggists in taking unanimous action, 
and in ascertaining from the wholesale houses if their manner 
of carrying on trade was injurious to the retailers or not. He 
felt sure the proprietors of wholesale houses would in every 
way meet the wishes of the trade in this respect. As to dis- 
pensing, he believed the method to be adopted in bringing 
about an alteration in this respect was by raising the standard 
of education; in fact, giving the chemist such an education as 
would enable him to deal with elementary analyses, and en- 
able him to detect adulteration, &c. 
Mr. A. J. Watt thought the less they said about the whole- 
sale houses retailing the better. The matter had been repre- 
sented to the proprietors of those places of business on several 
occasions. The number of wholesale houses that retailed was 
very large. 
Mr. YV. Pratt thought they should do all in their power to 
bring about a better feeling between the medical men and the 
druggists. He also advised a higher status of education for 
their young men. 
Mr. William Parker, of Balmain, thought there was little use 
in blustering or speaking unkindly of the medical men. If 
they alluded to them at all it should be done as quietly as pos- 
sible. If they wished to keep pace with the times it was not 
to be done by raising a quarrel between the two bodies. 
The president said that he must say he agreed to a great ex- 
tent with what had been said by Messrs. Larmer and Henry. 
The motion for the adoption of the report was then put and 
carried. 
The treasurer (Mr. A. J. Watt) read the financial statement, 
showing that the sum of £67 12s. 3d. was lodged to the 
society’s account in the Bank of Australasia, which, with £200 
to its credit invested in the Building Society, gave a total of 
£267 12s. 3d. to the credit of the society. 
The statement was adopted. 
Mr. J. S. Abraham, the retiring member of the council, was 
re-elected ; and Mr. M‘Carthy was elected to the council 
board in the room of Mr. Edward Row, who had resigned. 
Mr. M‘Carthy returned thanks for the honour done him. 
Messrs. J. A. Row and H. Sadlier were appointed auditors, 
and in recognition of the honour returned their thanks. 
The chairman then, in accordance with the annual practice, 
delivered an address. He said : — I think we must all agree 
