476 
SPECIAL MEETING. 
appointment as an Examiner.” That was really an important alteration, but 
he believed it was one which in principle was right. Then there were words 
added at the end of the ninth clause, requiring the Secretary to give notice to 
the Privy Council of the examinations. That, of course, was a matter of neces¬ 
sity. In the eleventh clause the words “according to the bye-laws in force” 
•were added, and in the fourteenth there were words added as to the modified 
examinations, that persons presenting themselves should pass such modified 
examination as should be declared sufficient evidence of their skill and compe¬ 
tency. Those were the only material alterations. In the seventeenth section 
there was an alteration suggested by the Privy Council as to the expulsion of 
members. It originally stood that if any report were made to the Council by a 
member of the Society in writing, that another member or any associate had 
been guilty of any act or conduct which, in the opinion of the Council, was 
contrary to, or subversive of, the interests of the Society, certain steps should 
be taken. Now it stood,—“ If the council be of opinion that the alleged act or 
conduct is of such a character,” then such-and-such steps should be taken. 
Four examiners were to be a quorum in Scotland, and four examiners were 
declared necessary to sign certificates. The Board of Examiners was not to 
consist of more than twelve or less than eight persons in England, and of uot 
more than eight or less than four in Scotland. Those were the principal altera¬ 
tions, and he would now therefore move,—“ That the bye-laws, whereof 
formulae have been prepared and confirmed by the Council, and submitted to 
this Special General Meeting, be confirmed and approved as the bye-laws of the 
Society, and take effect from the date of the confirmation and approval thereof, 
as required by the statute now in force.” 
Mr. Dickinson said the principal alteration made by the Privy Council ap¬ 
peared to be with regard to the Board of Examiners. It was an important 
principle, but he agreed with the Chairman in thinking it right in principle. 
He wished, however, to know if they laboured under any disability in conse¬ 
quence of the bye-laws not having yet been confirmed by the Privy Council, 
as he had understood from the Chairman, at the meeting in October, would be 
the case if they were not confirmed by the 1st of January. 
The Chairman said there was this disability, that they could not elect any 
new members until the bye-laws were settled, and there were several persons 
who wished to be elected now, who had been chemists and druggists in business 
for themselves before the passing of the Act of 1868. 
Mr. Dickinson said, from conversations which he had had with several 
persons in the business, he had expected a much larger attendance, and that 
there would have been some discussion as to the provisions of the new Act. He 
heard on all sides that it was most difficult to understand the working of the 
new Act. As far as his experience of more than twenty years went, their busi¬ 
ness was made more difficult to conduct every year, and now they had this new 
Act, which interfered with them still more. He had hoped that some of these 
gentlemen who had spoken to him would have been present, and would have 
stated their difficulties, particularly with regard to understanding the Schedule. 
He understood that Lord Robert Montagu had given notice of a motion with 
regard to the Pharmacy Act, but he was not acquainted with its nature; but he 
had no doubt, from the great experience of that gentleman on the Council, 
that if any great difficulties were found to exist in the working of the Act, they 
would be removed in good time. He was sorry that so little interest was taken 
in the matter, but it was generally the way that men did not think of bestirring 
themselves before they felt the burden on their shoulders. 
The Chairman said he was notin a position just then to say anything about 
the Schedule, but he had no doubt that things would settle down quietly, and 
that there would be no difficulty whatever in the working of the Act. 
