102 
THE CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST OF AUSTRALASIA. 
June 1 , 1887 
many thousands of pounds went away from here to America 
for patent medicines which could be manufactured here. The 
Americans would not buy our medicines ; why should we buy 
theirs? In the second line after the word “ medicine” he 
would like to add “ in this colony.” After chemist he would 
add “ duly registered according to the Act in this colony.” 
That would as far as possible hinder the sale of patent 
medicines. (Mr. Grundy: “The House of Assembly would 
not do it.”) They might get it. Further down the words 
“ duly marked as such” might be taken to apply to poison for 
the destruction of vermin. These words should be trans- 
posed, and read “ nor to the sale of fiy poison j)airers or 
packets of poisonous mixtures when duly marked as such.” 
He would also like to add the following clause : — “ All patent 
or proprietary articles for internal use imported from abroad 
into this colony for the purpose of sale within the colony, 
shall be accompanied by an authentic declaration of the com- 
position of the said preparations, and when found upon 
analysis to be incorrect, the sale of such medicines within the 
colony shall be prohibited.” It was done in America. 
Mr. Grundy would like to see patent medicines excluded 
altogether. 
Mr. Eyre said the Act referred in one or two places to 
“chemists or druggists within the meaning of this Act.” He 
would like to know if a chemist had to pass the three exami- 
nations before he could set up in business, or was the major 
examination only honorary ? 
The President said Clause 26 certainly intended that a man 
should pass the major examination before he could practice. 
Bye-law 7 of the Society required the major certificate for 
admission to membership. These bye-laws were passed in 
committee and general meeting. 
Mr. Cooper said in Victoria they could oj^en shop after 
passing the second examination. This examination was 
about equal to the major in England and here. In Victoria 
they were all pharmaceutical chemists. 
Mr. Clayton said they had had to lower the standard in 
England. The major was not of a technical but a practical 
character. 
The President said it was not necessary that candidates 
should attend lectures. They could, if they lived in the 
oountry, obtain the text books, and study themselves. 
Mr. Parry asked if a man who had passed the minor exami- 
nation in England could enter into business here. 
The President : He will be able to enter into business at 
once, because the English minor now is nearly equal to our 
major. 
Mr. Parry then did not think it would be fair to our own 
men to make them pass the major first. 
Mr. Grundy, as an instance of the severity of the examina- 
tion, read the botany qualifications. He thought they would 
have to be modified. If the candidates could not pass the 
examination, they would have' to meet them. 
Mr. Main thought there would be young men ambitious 
enough to pass the major. 
The President said that after passing the minor, a candidate 
would only have to work three months for the major. 
He hoped there would not be a retrograde motion. They 
should not be behind a country like Ireland. If they 
allowed a young man to go into business after passing 
the minor, their Society would probably languish. A man 
who could enter business without passing the major, would 
probably not trouble to .study for the sake of becoming a 
member of the Society. The major has to be worth some- 
thing, or candidates would not value it, or other Pharmaceu- 
tical Societies recognise us. 
Mr. Grundy thought if they did not alter it they would be 
paying three guineas to the examiner for nothing, because no 
one would pass. 
The meeting then terminated. 
The adjourned special meeting of the South Australian 
Pharmaceutical Society, 'for the purpose of considering the 
proposed Pharmacy Act, was held in the Society’s new rooms 
in the A.M.P. Society’s Buildings on Thursday evening. May 
26, 1887. There were present : the President (Mr. W. H. 
Harrison) in the chair; the vice-Presidedt (Mr. T. E. 
Grundy), hon. sec. (Mr. W. J. Main), treasurer (Mr. H. J. 
Poole), and Messrs. Braddock, Clayton, Cooper, Duff, Eyre, 
Grummett, Hill, Hoile, Horton, O’Connor, Parry, Sowter, 
Symes, Wood, Woodman, Woodward, and Young. 
An apology for absence was received from Mr. G. A. Parker. 
Minutes of meeting held May 19 read and confirmed. 
The New Booii. 
The President congratulated the members on having entered 
into possession of their new room. It was much more con- 
venient than their old rooms, and had been taken on very 
satisfactory terms. 
Incoupoiution. 
The President said that in accordance with the motion 
passed at the last meeting, Mr. Grundy, Mr. Main, and him- 
self had made enquiries as to incorporating the Society, and 
they had been informed that to give the Society a legal footing 
trustees should be appointed to arrange the details of incor- 
poration. Two trustees would be sufficient, but they might 
have more if they wished. 
Mr. Symes moved, “ That the President and Vice-president 
be appointed trustees pro. tern, to arrange the necessary 
details.” 
Mr. Grundy mentioned that the duties were merely nominal. 
Their duties would only last until the Society was registered, 
which would take three months. 
Mr. Sowter asked w’hy incorporation would take such a 
long time ? 
Mr. Grundy, in reply, said it was because they would be in- 
corporated as an educational society. 
Mr. Sowter seconded the motion, which was carried. 
The Pharmacy Bill.* 
After some discussion it was decided, on the motion of Mr. 
Hill, seconded by Mr. Cooper, “ That the Bill be discussed as 
a whole, members to beallowed five minutes each.” 
Mr. Hill considered the Bill, as a whole, to be a fairly good 
one. He, however, objected to several provisions. Clause 4. 
he considered illiberal and unjust. Anyone in business at 
any time before the passing of the Act should be entitled to 
be termed a chemist and druggist. He did not think that the 
Council should hold office for three years, as provided by 
clause 7. They had no power over them if they did ; one 
year’s tenure of office would be sufficient. He did not think 
it necessary that a Deputy llegistrar should have to forward 
notice of the death of a registered pharmaceutical chemist to 
the Registrar of the Pharmaceutical Society in Adelaide. 
Part B of clause 20 did not provide for those who had served 
less than two years as assistants. The Victorian Act gave 
two months, and he saw no reason why two years should he 
specified. Then, if a man liad been assistant for 18 months, 
would he have to pass the major examination ? Either two 
years should be altered to two months or there should be a 
modified examination. 'With regard to part D of the same 
clause, he thought that it ought to be provided that every 
idiarmaceutical chemist should give his apprentices reasonable 
time to attend lectures. They were entitled to such protection 
as was given by a similar clause in the Victorian Amending 
Act. The latter part of clause 24 was unfair; there was no 
reason why a widow should not be allowed to carry on business 
so long as it is conducted by a certified chemist and druggist. 
He would propose that all words after “cither,” in clause 26, 
section A, should be struck out. They would shut out makers 
of several largely used advertised patents, simply because they 
were not chemists ; they would never pass that clau.se. There 
was a mistake in clause 36, the words “ Section 6 ” should 
read “ section 33.” Then, lastly, with regard to clause 40, it 
was no use for them to try to pass a provision prohibiting a 
storekeeper from selling patent medicines. A storekeeper, 
who is a member of Parliament, bad told him that he sold a 
whole case of a certain patent medicine in one week. 
Mr. Grundy considered part A of clause 26 a good provision. 
They should stop adventurers from selling patent medicines, 
and cutting away legitimate business from druggists. 
Mr. Clayton moved, and Mr. Sowter seconded, “ That the 
Bill be discussed clause by clause.” Carried. 
Clause 1. — “Preamble.” 
Passed on the motion of Mr. Grundy, seconded by Mr. 
Grummett. 
Clause 2. — “Short title.” 
Carried on the motion of Mr. Sowter, seconded by Mr. 
Clayton. 
Clause 3. — “Commencement.” 
The President said the Council recommended that the Act 
should come into operation on January 1, 1838, or as early as 
may be. 
The full text of the Bill is given on pages 164-167. 
