62 
THE CHEMIST AND DBUGGIST. 
December, 1882. 
Messrs. Wm. Ford and Co. (Messrs. Swift and Reed, proprie- 
tors) have signed a contract for extensive alterations to their 
business premises in Swanston-street. The improvements will 
embrace an entire alteration to the front building, which will 
be considerably enlarged, and a new building at the back for 
the wholesale and manufacturing department. 
Mr. J. W. Smith, who for some time was in charge for Mr* 
J. D. Evans, of Smith-street, Collingwood, has purchased from 
Mr. William Stephens his business at Footscray. 
THE ANNUAL DINNER OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL 
SOCIETY OF VICTORIA. 
The annual dinner was held at Clements’ Cafe, on Wednesday, 
the 13th December, 1882. There was a good attendance, and 
the manner in which the dinner was served reflected great 
credit on Mr. Clements. 
The president of the society, Mr. Wm. Bowen, occupied the 
chair. The vice-chairs were occupied by Mr. John T. Thomas, 
vice-president of the society, and Mr. J. Bosisto, M.L.A., 
president of the Pharmacy Board. Amongst the visitors pre- 
sent were Messrs. Rivers Langton, Daniel Wilkie, B. C. 
Harriman, W. J. Bowen, and T. Fripp. 
The country districts were represented by Mr. Henry 
Brind, Ballarat ; Mr. John Holdsworth, Sandhurst, and Mr. A. 
J. Owen, Geelong. Letters of apology were received from Mr. 
Frank Senior, president of the Pharmaceutical Society, N.S.W; 
Drs. Moloney, Hewlett, and Robertson ; Mr. Geo. Lewis ; 
Mr. Ii. Wheeler, president of the Ballarat District Chemists’ 
Association ; Mr. J. Harris, M.L. A. ; Mr. G. D. Carter, M.L.A ; 
Mr. C. D. Barraud, president of the Pharmacy Board, Wel- 
lington ; Mr. J. V. Ross, president of the Pharmaceutical 
Society, Christchurch ; Mr. Graves Aickin, Auckland, &c. 
The chairman proposed the toasts of ' Her Majesty the 
Queen, their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of 
Wales, and His Excellency the Governor, all of which were 
duly honoured. 
Dr. William Thomson, who was received with applause, 
proposed “ The Pharmaceutical Society of Victoria,” coupled 
with the name of Mr. William Bowen, president. The mem- 
bers of the society deserved great credit for the manner in 
which they had raised the status of that body, and he felt 
highly gratified at the fact that they had made him an 
honorary member. In early days the chemical and drug trade 
was associated with that of the grocer, but through the exer- 
tions of Mr. Bosisto and others whom he saw around him that 
night, the connection had been severed ; they now enjoyed a 
separate constitution. The medical profession, he might point 
out, was deeply interested in the welfare of the society, for 
as pharmacy advanced so would physic. He wished the 
society a long and increasingly prosperous career. (Cheers.) 
Mr. Bowen, on rising to respond, was warmly applauded, 
and said : — I thank you for the kind manner in which you 
have been pleased to respond to the last toast. In replying 
thereto I will endeavour briefly to refer to some of the more 
important events which have occurred during the past year 
interesting to our body as pharmaceutical chemists. You will 
doubtless remember that, at the last annual dinner, reference 
was made to the establishment of a school of pharmacy. 
Although during the last session lectures have been regularly 
delivered, and as a result of such teaching I may mention 
that every student from this school who presented himself for 
examination passed with considerable credit, yet the council 
of the society have felt hampered by the consideration that we 
had no local habitation . They therefore determined to apply to 
the Government for a grant of land in order to carry out their 
views, and I feel proud in telling you to-night that the Govern- 
ment have displayed their wisdom and intelligence in recog- 
nising the importance and justice of our claims by granting us 
a site in every way suitable for our requirements. On this land 
there is a building erected, which the council have purchased 
and paid for, and as soon as we obtain possession of the same, 
which will probably be in a few months, by the judicious 
expenditure of a few hundred pounds in restoring and render- 
ing the same suitable for our occupation, the members of this 
society may well be congratulated on the establishment of the 
Victorian School of Pharmacy— with a splendid lecture-hall, 
a completely fitted laboratory, a museum, library, and class- 
rooms — on a sound and substantial basis, and on a scale at 
least equal, if not surpassing, anything yet attempted in this 
colony. As soon as this school is complete and open I anti- 
cipate a large addition to the number of students, not only 
from among those who intend to pursue the calling of a phar- 
maceutical chemist, but from the public at large, many of 
whom are desirous of attending the lectures on chemistry and 
botany ; besides, there will probably be some of the students 
from the medical school, for I regret to say that, at this insti- 
tution, practical pharmacy is ignored — or, at all events, if my 
information is correct, all that is required from the student is 
a certificate of having attended at some open dispensary for a 
short period ; and my information goes further than this— that 
such certificate can readily be obtained at the expense of a few 
pounds, a few cigars, and a pack of cards. I assure our medical 
friends present, the managers of that institution, and all who 
feel an interest in the Medical School of Victoria, that I do 
not refer to this matter in any carping spirit, or with any 
feeling of class antagonism ; but I assure them, with every 
feeling of regard and candour, that this school will never 
attain the same high position of those grand institutions of the 
mother-country until they have included in its curriculum an 
intimate knowledge of practical pharmacy. Too much im- 
portance cannot be attached to the School of Pharmacy which 
we are about to inaugurate, as the health of the public at 
large is dependent in a great degree upon the intelligence and 
good training of the young pharmaceutical students. On the 
1st of January last a new regulation of the Pharmacy Act 
came into force, by which all apprentices before the registra- 
tion of their indentures by the Pharmacy Board, will require to 
present a certificate of having passed the matriculation exami- 
nation of the University, or some other examination equiva- 
lent to the same, in which Latin, English, and arithmetic are 
essential subjects. This I regard as a most important step, as 
prior to this date apprentices have been found who postponed 
the passing the preliminary examination until a later period ; 
and surely it is a much easier matter to pass such an exami- 
nation when fresh from their scholastic studies. The mind of 
the student will thus be relieved, and entirely devoted to the 
study of the other essential branches of knowledge. During 
the past year the council considered it desirable to offer some 
encouragement to the students ; they therefore determined to 
present a gold medal to the most successful of the students 
after their examination in the several subjects, chemistry, 
materia, medica, and botany ; and I have much pleasure in 
announcing that the first presentation was made, in the month 
of June, to Mr. William Lowe, a gentleman who greatly dis- 
tinguished himself ; and I have every confidence in stating 
that if he continues his studies with the same devotion he will 
prove an ornament to his profession. In the month of July, 
at a meeting of the society, a deputation was appointed to 
represent the chemists before the Tariff Commission. This 
deputation was courteously received, and from representations 
from their standpoint made to that body I have much pleasure 
in anticipating that a more equitable arrangement of the tariff 
will result. In August last rules were passed by the council 
for the protection of the society against the improper use of 
their diplomas. Cases have occurred where persons have 
joined the society, paid their subscription for one year, obtain- 
ing the diploma, and then forfeited their position as members 
by non-payment of their subscription. By the new rule 
which is now in force any person before he is admitted as a 
member of the society has to sign a declaration that in the 
event of his ceasing to become a member from any cause that 
he or his representatives will return the diploma, and thus 
prevent the fraudulent practice now existing. On behalf of 
the Pharmaceutical Society I am bound to express my thanks, 
not only to our old friends, Mr. Blackett and Mr. Bosisto, but 
likewise to Mr. Zox, Mr. Laurens, and other parliamentary 
representatives who were familiar with the plain unvarnished 
statement of our position, and who have so ably represented 
the same to the Government. My thanks are likewise 
especially due to the honorary secretary, Mr. Harry Shilling- 
law, for the valuable assistance and suggestions I have in- 
variably received from him ; and I assure you, gentlemen, that 
with such ability and support the duties of president of this 
society are reduced to a mere formality. I thank you, again, 
for your kind response to the toast of the Pharmaceutical 
Society of Victoria. 
Dr. Neild then proposed the “ Pharmacy Board,” coupled 
with the name of Mr. Joseph Bosisto, M.L.A. He need 
hardly remind the gentlemen there that night of the fact that 
the Pharmacy Board mainly owed its origin to the gentleman 
whose name was associated with the toast. The board, 
although only some six years in existence, had already done 
good service. It had brought about a closer alliance between 
the chemists and druggists and the medical profession, anl a 
