OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY. 
697 
alteration in the regulations would be desirable. With regard to local examina¬ 
tions, they would certainly be a great convenience, but he did not think the time 
was yet come for them ; in the course of time they would be necessary, no doubt. 
He thought it would be an improvement to the Journal if there were occasional 
contributions from eminent London chemists on practical points connected with 
dispensing, and also if the reviews were given more at length. 
The Chairman, having explained the provisions of the Pharmacy Act as 
affecting veterinary surgeons, put the resolution, which was carried unani¬ 
mously. 
Mr. Breton then introduced the subject of patent mediciue stamps, of 
which he had given notice, and commenced to read a paper thereupon, but, 
upon its appearing to be the general opinion of the meeting that such a course 
was out of order at an annual meeting, he handed in the paper for insertion in 
the Journal, if approved by the editors. 
Mr. Reynolds (Leeds) then rose to move the following resolution :—“ That, 
as a result of the Pharmacy Act of 1868, it is desirable that the minutes and 
votes of future meetings of the Council be published.” He said there was some 
little inconsistency in the present system of electing the Council, inasmuch as 
before receiving the Report which had just been adopted, they were asked to de¬ 
cide who should represent them another year. It appeared to him that instead 
of waiting twelve months for the Report, the proceedings of the Council might 
be published monthly in the Journal, and they would be of great interest to 
the members, who would thus be enabled to see what part each member of the 
Council took in its operations. He should be the last man to show ingratitude 
for past services, and he hoped the President would long remain a member of 
the Council; but, at the same time it might be desirable to introduce some new 
blood into it, and in that view it was most desirable that provincial members 
should know the part taken in the government of the Society by individual 
members of the Council. At the present time he had reason to know, as the 
result of inquiries made all over the kingdom, the present system of voting was 
regarded very generally as little more than a farce; one person indeed informed 
him, that his practice was to vote one year for the first twelve on the list, and 
the next year for the last twelve, not knowing any of the names, and desiring 
to be impartial. The passing of the Pharmacy Act had greatly altered the rela¬ 
tions of the constituency to the Council, which now, to compare small things 
with great, bore a strong analogy to the House of Commons, as representing the 
English people. If the members were selected to represent each a particular dis¬ 
trict, there would be a tolerable unanimity in the choice, because the different 
candidates would be known to the voters; but under present circumstances they 
did not know whom to support. He would not detain the meeting longer, espe¬ 
cially as he believed the Council would agree in the propriety of what he sug¬ 
gested, but would at once move the resolution. It might be said that a report 
of the discussions was essential to the understanding of the votes, and if the 
Council thought so he had no objection ; but he desired to leave the details 
as much as possible in their hands. 
Mr. Betty seconded the resolution, which he thought ought to be carried, in 
order to give the members an opportunity of expressing their opinion upon the 
proceedings of the Council, wnich could not fail from year to year to be of 
greater interest to the trade at large. It was only due to the Council itself 
that its proceedings should be known, in order, as had been suggested by the 
President, that they might receive the support of the members. 
Mr. Orridge expressed his concurrence in the sentiment expressed in the 
resolution. 
Mr. Rimmington said he had given some consideration to this matter, and was 
decidedly of opinion that the course proposed would be very acceptable to the 
yol. x. 3 b 
