OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY. 
559 
October last, and there are now six persons drawing their support therefrom. 
The applications of candidates for votes attract annual notice to the benefits in 
the granting of which all Members and Associates of the Society may take part, 
and the Council trust the Local Secretaries will not fail, at the proper season, 
to urge on those residing in their districts the necessity for support. 
At the last Annual Meeting there was considerable discussion on the pro¬ 
visions of the proposed Pharmacy Bill, and the Council have spared no exertions 
since that time to promote legislation. The pre-occupation of Parliament by 
the all-absorbing question of Reform, entirely precluded the introduction of the 
subject in 1867 ; therefore at the close of the year, when Ministers usually de¬ 
cide on the business to be brought forward in the ensuing session, a copy of the 
proposed Bill was forwarded to the Home Office with a request that the Home 
Secretary would grant an interview to a deputation from the Council. This was 
in due time accorded, and the Council invited the,attendance of certain Chemists 
and Druggists, not connected with the Pharmaceutical Society, in order that the 
Government might see there was unanimity on the question among all parties 
concerned ; one of them was the President, and others were members of the Exe¬ 
cutive Committee of the United Society. After discussing the provisions of 
the Bill, and referring to the report of the Parliamentary Committee of 1865, 
the Right Honourable Gathorne Hardy expressed his personal approval of the 
measure, and promised to bring the question under the consideration of his col¬ 
leagues. Having done this, Mr. Hardy in due time addressed a letter to the 
President stating his willingness to support a Bill restricting the title of Che¬ 
mist and Druggist to certain persons, and prohibiting all others from selling, 
dispensing, or compounding certain drugs, etc. Until the end of March there 
was every reason to believe that Mr. Hardy would not only support, but would 
introduce a Government measure on this question ; but at that time he declared 
his inability to do so owing to pressure of other business. Efforts were then 
made to introduce the Bill by a private member with the promise of support 
from the Government, but the various interruptions and delays which have 
occurred, owing to Ministerial changes and other causes, in the ordinary work 
of Parliament, have been fatal obstacles to progress. Earl Granville has now 
taken the Bill under his charge, and from the advocacy of so able and influen¬ 
tial a member of the House of Peers success may be confidently anticipated. 
In questions affecting Chemists and Druggists the Council have not been idle ; 
early in the year a Memorial from the Bath Chemists’ Association to the Board 
of Inland Revenue, praying for an alteration in the Methylated Spirit Licence, 
was committed to the Council for presentation. An interview with the Chief Se¬ 
cretary to the Board was obtained and the matter fairly laid before him. Before 
the Parliamentary session closed an Inland Revenue Bill was passed, including, 
among other things, the reduction of the licence fee from Two Pounds to Ten 
Shillings, and the Council believe that this must be a great convenience to 
Chemists generally, who are continually called on to sell spirit for burning and 
other purposes, and often compelled to offend customers by refusing. 
A “Merchant Shipping Act” was introduced which contained enactments 
for regulating the supply and nature of medical stores. These regulations 
would have seriously interfered with Chemists, and a remonstrance was for¬ 
warded to the President of the Board of Trade, who immediately granted an 
interview to a deputation from the Council on the subject. The objectionable 
clauses were removed from the Bill. 
The Council cannot close the labours of the year without recording the 
regret which was occasioned them by the retirement of their valued colleague, 
Air. Daniel Bell Han bury, who had filled the office of Treasurer for fifteen years, 
and for a still longer period been one of the most constant attendants at the 
Council-table ; in losing his services there it is still a gratification to know that 
