36 
PHARMACEUTICAL LEGISLATION, 
society, in favour of which they break up their own organization ; and, on 
the other hand, I hope not by ignoring the rights of the present members of 
a society into which a few of the 4000 outsiders wish to enter. As they are 
in such a hurry to break up “ their own organization,” are we to suppose it 
is a worthless thing and a mere name ? for surely, if it were of any value, they 
would not be so eager to abandon it. Unfortunately, I am not at all conver¬ 
sant with the operations of the United Society, and am in ignorance as to its 
extent, but am under the impression that, although it professes to represent 
two-thirds of the trade, its number of members is not nearly so large as that 
of the Pharmaceutical Society. Mr. Betty will no doubt correct me if I am 
wrong. 
I am no advocate for oppression, and would strongly oppose any existing 
rights being interfered with in the slightest degree ; and in any legislative 
proceedings no man now in business as a chemist and druggist, or any assist¬ 
ant or apprentice, ought to be interfered wdth, except registering them as 
such, and which ought to be done without cost to them. Surely there is no 
ill iberality in this, and at the same time no injustice to any one. What 
does Mr. Betty mean by this sentence in his letter?—“Whilst doing justice 
to the Society by obtaining for it its legitimate influence, are we not doing 
justice also to the public by proceeding without further delay to pass a Phar¬ 
macy Act that will close our doors to all but qualified dispensers ? ” Does 
not this seem to imply that so long as he is admitted, he cares not who is 
shut out ? And yet he does not hesitate to accuse me of illiberality because 
I am doing what it would seem he himself would do if he were already a 
member of the Pharmaceutical Society. 
Mr. Betty challenges me to produce an instance of the United Society en¬ 
deavouring to frustrate any effort of the Pharmaceutical Society to elevate 
the status of the trade. I would remind him of the Bills before Parliament 
in 1864; it is true, and I freely admit, that the Pharmaceutical Society’s 
Bill was not perfect, that there were some provisions of it open to objection; 
but instead of the United Society showing that “spirit of honourable compro¬ 
mise ” so much wanting in me, and endeavouring to arrange a Bill in connec¬ 
tion with the Society, they introduced another in direct opposition, and, as a 
natural consequence, both fell to the ground. 
Mr. Betty tells us he is independent of any Pharmacy Act to become a 
Pharmaceutical Chemist. Why does he not do so, as he so evidently wishes 
for it? The course already adopted by hundreds is still open, and, judging 
from his letter, I should suppose it would be a very easy matter for him to 
pass our examinations. I, for one, should be heartily glad to welcome him 
into the Society ; but first let him take the honourable course of proving 
himself fit for admission. I do not—I should be very sorry to—imply that 
he is unfitted for it; but surely he cannot object to coming forward and 
proving it, instead of trying to get in by a special Act of Parliament. He 
must know that if the proposed Bill passes, we shall be compelled—w T e shall 
have no alternative but to admit men almost indiscriminately, without refer¬ 
ence to qualification, provided they choose to register themselves as chemists 
and druggists; and by so doing the Society could not fail to be degraded in 
the estimation of the public. Surely Mr. Betty would not wish this. 
I cannot think that the proposed change would be satisfactory ; from the 
correspondence I have had during the last two months, I know the dissatis¬ 
faction is widespread among the present members of the Society ; and although 
at the special meeting the Council obtained a majority, I think that if the 
country were thoroughly canvassed the majority would be found to be against 
the Bill; and as for the outsiders, in favour of whom such great concessions 
are now being made, they would be equally dissatisfied, if the following may 
