OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY. 
695 
thought it a great pity, because no doubt there were many young men now in 
the trade who had not had the advantage of a classical education, and who 
would consequently fail if put to such a test, while, at the same time, fully 
understanding a prescription, and able to compound it ; and it would be a great 
hardship if they were called upon to seek a livelihood in some other manner. 
If he might be allowed, he would suggest that the Council exercise a little dis¬ 
cretion in such cases, and not press too hardly upon such men as he referred to. 
Mr. Davenport thought there must be a great mistake in the information 
which Mr. Collins had received. He, as an examiner, had never rejected a 
candidate because he could not literally translate a prescription. There were a 
certain number of marks allotted to each subject, and if a young man obtained 
less than a certain proportion, he was sent back in that particular subject, but 
if he had half the total number, he was passed, being considered safe to go be¬ 
hind a counter. Of course the more acquaintance a young man had with Latin 
the better, as he would be more likely to understand the prescription, but if he 
could read correctly an ordinary prescription,—and he was tested by real pre¬ 
scriptions written by physicians of the day,—he was never rejected. 
Mr. Gamble (Grantham) was very glad that this point had been mentioned, 
because he knew there was a feeling amongst young men in the country that 
they had a very strict examination to pass, and that the literal translation of 
prescriptions would be required ; and even medical men who bad been kind 
enough to examine some of his apprentices, had laid great stress upon this 
point, and told them that they would be “ plucked” if they did not translate the 
prescriptions grammatically. He congratulated the Council on the passing of 
the Pharmacy Act, and hoped they would take into consideration the possibility 
of providing some means by which young men could be examined without the 
necessity of coming to London. 
Mr. Squire, as one of the original examiners of the Society, said the object 
always kept in view was to ensure a thoroughly practical examination, and by 
no means to puzzle young men with abstruse questions, as at one time was the 
case at Apothecaries’ Hall. Having been concerned very greatly in drawing up 
the regulations, he had always urged the importance of making the examina¬ 
tions practical, not rejecting a man because he was not acquainted with a tech¬ 
nical term or any matter not really of importance. The questions asked were 
those affecting everyday practice, aud if the candidates could not answer them 
they were certainly not fit to be assistants to auy member of the Society. 
Mr. Rimmington (Bradford) had heard with great satisfaction the assurance 
given by Mr. Squire, that the examinations were eminently practical, because 
he knew there was a wide-spread feeling in the provinces that they were not so, 
and that the candidates were frequently rejected on mere catch questions, and 
this of course struck terror into the hearts of all young men who were preparing 
to pass. The most learned man might be puzzled by a sudden question on a 
subject in which he was not prepared, and, therefore, it would not be fair to 
reject a young man, simply because he happened to stick at a question which 
came upon him unexpectedly. He was also of opinion that some leniency 
should be shown to men who presented themselves for the Modified Examina¬ 
tion, many of them not having had the preliminary education which they 
ought previously to entering the business, but still they might have acquired 
sufficient practical knowledge to enable them to discharge their duties. 
Mr. Deane was very glad that this question had been mooted, because he 
knew there was an impression abroad that the Board of Examiners were in the 
habit of putting catch questions, and rejecting young men if they were not 
answered. He was quite sure, on the contrary, that it was the feeling of every 
member of the Board that this sort of thing should be avoided, and, conse¬ 
quently, they were in the habit of putting only such questions as had a practi- 
