October 5, 1895 
THE CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST 
521 
of chemists and draggists, ard to advance chemistry and 
pharmacy, immediately proceeded to establish this school, 
which has since undergone such wonderful development and 
made such great strides, that I certainly am not prepared to 
dispute your President’s claim that “it is now the best- 
equipped school of pharmacy and chemistry in the kingdom.” 
Indeed, if it will make him any the happier, I will even 
permit him to crow unchecked over University College, in 
affirming that the first chemical laboratory in London was 
established in this place. 
Another part of the address, which interested me very 
much, is devoted to reminiscences and criticisms of the truly 
great men who were the earliest professors and teachers in 
this school, and of those who subsequently took their place, 
and directed its affairs. Such names as those of Anthony 
Todd Thomson, Fownes, Pereira, Redwood, and Bentley 
stand out conspicuously and prominently in the history of 
scientific and practical education in relation to the subjects 
with which you are here more immediately concerned, and 
they will ever be remembered with admiration and venera- 
tion. Two names appeal to me more especially — that of 
Fownes, who has always been associated in my mind with 
University College, whither he was enticed, and whose early 
death was such a severe loss to that College and to chemistry ; 
and that of Redwood, the “hard-headed Welshman.” My 
particular interest in this distinguished man arises from 
the fact that I belong to the same nationality, which is the 
■only qualification that I can claim in common with him. On 
this account, however, I felt a peculiar gratification in read- 
ing, not only of his attainments and capacity for teaching, 
but also of his physical advantages and attractions, his 
oratorical powers, but, above all, his fighting propensities and 
abilities. Contrary to what you seem to suggest, Mr. Presi- 
dent, we Welshmen are really and essentially so meek and 
subdued, as the result of ages of oppression and want of 
opportunities for proper education, that it is quite exhilarat- 
ing to read of a fellow-countryman who could assert himself 
and hold his own, and out of whom you could never “ get 
any change.” 
I have thus briefly alluded to the past history of this 
•institution, because I feel strongly that you who are already 
students here, or are now about entering, and indeed the 
whole body of existing or potential pharmaceutical chemists, 
ought never to forget or ignore it, and the remembrance of 
what has been done should not only rouse feelings of gratitude 
on your part, but ought also to have the effect of actively 
stimulating your zeal and energy. 
An Ideal Futuee. 
In these busy and exciting times, however, we have not 
time to indulge in much sentiment about the past, for we 
have to deal immediately and practically with the present 
and the future. My further remarks, therefore, must be 
guided accordingly, and I now proceed to lay before you 
•certain thoughts which have suggested themselves to my 
mind as suitable for this occasion, and which I trust may 
not be without some influence for good. 
First, entertain and cherish constantly a high conception 
and standard in relation to the nature of your calling, its 
purposes and aims, its possible achievements, and its social 
status. It is of no use attempting to conceal or deny the 
facts that in past times the business of a “chemist and 
druggist ” was generally but a “ paltry trade ” ; and that the 
apprentice, who was supposed to be learning pharmacy, was 
often nothing but a “ shop-boy, employed to fetch and 
carry.” Indeed, I very much fear that such a description 
will still apply not uncommonly. This ought not to be, 
and pharmaceutical chemists as a body should do their 
utmost to make it impossible for such a state of things any 
longer to exist. What think you were the motives which 
prompted the founders of this Society and School to enter 
upon the arduous task which they set themselves, and which 
they pursued with so much energy, devotion, and success ? 
At first sight it may appear as if the motive were a purely 
selfish one, for it is acknowledged that the Pharmaceutical 
Society was started for the purpose of defence, and to pro- 
tect the interests of chemists and druggists. Bat surely 
the stimulus which urged them to take this step came from 
deeper and higher motives than this — namely, a true and 
lofty idea of the nature of their vocation, of its grave and 
far-reacbing importance in relation to the general community, 
and of the real dignity of the “ science and art of phar- 
macy.” As you, Mr. President, have told us, they were 
men of considerable knowledge and eminent in pharmacy, 
at the “ top of their business,” and they had nothing what- 
ever to gain personally. They acted in a truly unselfish 
and self-sacrificing spirit, and for the benefit of future 
generations. Surely it is not too much to expect that those 
who follow them, and who are reaping the advantages of 
their efforts and of their devotion to a good cause, should 
not allow the standard which they set up to be lowered in 
the smallest degree, but rather should join hand in hand to 
raise it if possible still higher, and to realise the prospect 
which they only glimpsed from afar. 
But, obviously, if pharmacy is to reach and retain its 
proper and legitimate status, those who are engaged in its 
practice must be adequately instructed and trained. As 
Redwood said, “the occupation of the skilled pharmacist is 
becoming one in which education and science are essential 
to gain the position which pharmacy deserves.” I presume, 
ladies and gentlemen, that by becomicg students of this 
school, you acknowledge the reasonableness of this proposi- 
tion ; but I rather fancy there are not a few who are not 
present who would be inclined to dispute it. I cannot now 
enter into any discussion as to what should be the exact 
scope and extent of the instruction and training, or the 
range and degree of severity of the examinations, especially 
as 1 understand that on these points there are differences of 
opinion even amongst those who have the interests of phar- 
macy at heart. The outline which you gave, Mr. President, 
as a sort of “ ideal education ” for pharmacists, has much to 
commend it, but whether it is practicable at present is 
another matter. With many of your suggestions I personally 
cordially agree, and I venture to affirm that the higher you 
aim, within due and well-understood limits, whether in 
regard to general culture, instruction in your own special 
subject?, scientific and practical training, or qualifying ex- 
aminations, the better will it be for pharmacists as a body, 
as well as for the community at large. 
Pharmacy as a Business. 
Of course, the fact must be fully recognised that the 
pharmaceutical chemist cannot ignore the business aspect of 
his vocation, but I really cannot conceive of anyone, because 
be is an “ educated pharmacist,” being ashamed of his busi- 
ness. Listen to your President’s words : “ There is nothing 
derogatory in standing behind a counter, however well 
educated you are, and dispensing medicines, and dealing 
with people in an honourable and upright manner.” “ X 
never was ashamed of my business, and I have never lost a 
jot in the social respect of anybody.” !Never were truer 
words uttered, sir, and they are fall of downright common- 
sense. I only wish they could be echoed far and wide in 
these days of social humbug and pretentious snobbery. And 
here let me say that, speaking personally, I certainly do not 
claim any abstract social superiority for the vocation of the 
medical practitioner over that of the pharmacist, or 
that there is any line of demarcation between them. 
Their relative position must very much depend on 
individual attainments, character, and actions ; and in my 
opinion the educated pharmacist may fairly regard himself 
as a “ professional man ” if he acts accordingly, and “ carries 
out everything iu a trie professional spirit.” There is no 
reason whatever why every pharmaceutical chemist miy not 
be competent to associate with, and be a fit colleague for, the 
members of the medical or any other profession, both 
socially and scientifically, and it will mainly rest with you 
individually what position you take in these respects. In 
my profession I regret to say that at the present time there 
are not a few who degrade their vocation to a very low trade 
indeed, and who thus bring much discredit upon it. The 
lowest level yet reached is probably that of a scheme recently 
disclosed, in which some of its members are actually tacked 
on to the weekly purchase of a “ quarter of a pound of tea ” 
from a certain firm, who have the auda:fity to publish a list 
of qualified medical men whom they employ to give medical 
attendance “ free of charge ” in return for this most profitable 
investment ! 
Take Advantage op Opportunities. 
I now proceed to deal with another point which exoerience 
has taught me that it is desirable and necessary to U'*ge and 
