362 
LIVERPOOL CHEMISTS’ ASSOCIATION. 
new era in closing ? Twelve months before we did the same thing in Birkenhead, the 
less said about which the better. I can only suggest the remedy of each acting accord¬ 
ing to his own conscience and integrity in the matter, only let him not make his con¬ 
science too elastic. The next relationship considered was that between the pharma¬ 
ceutist and his customers, this being a much closer one than with ordinary tradesmen— 
the confidence reposed in us by them and the responsibility undertaken by us on their 
account necessarily makes it so. They cannot judge of our medicines as they would of a 
grocer’s or draper’s goods,—we should be careful therefore never to abuse that confidence. 
If we charge eighteenpence for a mixture that costs us threepence or sixpence, we do 
our customer no wrong; the physician does not calculate his fee from the cost of the 
ink and paper consumed in writing the prescription. But*if we use ingredients about 
the quality of which we have any doubts, then we commit an act of gross injustice, a 
breach of faith for which there is no excuse. The medical relationship was next con¬ 
sidered. Mr. Symes regretted that a,-feeling of rivalry rather than one of unity often 
existed between the pharmaceutist and medical practitioner. He considered the causes 
which lead to this and to the latter capable of subdivision. First, the medical man often 
dispenses his own medicines, and, secondly, many of those who do not, often send their 
patients to some particular chemist. In answer to the first charge the medical man 
replies, give up your counter practice and I give up dispensing; to the second lie replies 
that, having found his prescriptions carelessly dispensed at several shops, at last, finding 
one on which he could depend, he recommends this one when his opinion is asked ; or 
another class of men disgrace their profession by telling you that Brown allows a good 
percentage on his prescriptions, which Jones and Robinson refuse to do. The remedies 
for these evils are partly in our own hands ; let us strive to remove them. 
The wholesale relationship was next touched on. Without wishing in any way to 
weaken the confidence which existed, it was suggested that if pharmaceutists would 
more frequently test the preparations and chemicals with which they were supplied, 
they would often have to return what they now take into stock ; this annoyance to their 
wholesale brethren would be only temporary. Manufacturers would soon cease to 
supply impure or adulterated articles if they had them returned, and the benefit accruing 
to pharmacy would more them compensate for all. 
He continued—There is one relationship which I have omitted, viz. that of the 
master to apprentice and assistant. Mv reason for having done so is, that in a paper 
last session on “Pharmaceutical Education,” I introduced the subject, and in the discus¬ 
sion which followed, the views of the members present on the subject were sufficiently 
elicited. I would now merely add these few remarks:—As we have necessarily been 
obliged to pass through the same training before arriving to our present position, it be¬ 
comes us to exercise our authority with the same kindness and forbearance that we our¬ 
selves could have wished for; this need not interfere in any way with the proper dis¬ 
charge of duty, in fact it promotes it rather than otherwise. Care and neatness should 
be inculcated as habit, as duties more easily done than left undone ; we should always 
be careful not to set an example of carelessness, by performing trivial duties as though 
they were beneath our notice. There is no part of our business, however trifling, that 
does not merit care in its performance, and we cannot be better employed than in doing 
what we have to do well. I have on former occasions said that those who have appren¬ 
tices often neglect their education; let me now add that those who have assistants more 
frequently do the same for them. But you will say, perhaps, assistants ought to know 
their business thoroughly and require no tuition. If so, I feel that many of us are 
lamentably behind them. Our business appears to me one in which we are all students 
to the end of our days, and that we might be so profitably. It is a duty of such as are 
in authority to encourage a desire for advancement amongst those who are under their 
influence. How many more assistants and apprentices would study for, and pass the 
- Pharmaceutical Examinations if they are brought to know the real value of so doing, 
instead of being told that it is all bosh, quite useless? Why, just ninety-nine out of 
every hundred! Surely, 1 have laid a very heavy sin to our charge ; our consciences 
will be our best judges as to whether individually or collectively we should plead guilty. 
Finally, we who reside in this neighbourhood possess a relationship which many are de¬ 
prived the privilege of, which, whilst some of us enjoy there are many of us who do not 
appreciate, otherwise this room would be far too small for our meetings. I mean our 
relationship as individuals to this association. Why is it that so many give it the cold 
