10 SPECIAL GENE UAL MEETING OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY. 
“ This meeting, therefore, is of opinion that the Bill now before Parliament is entitled 
to the support of the Pharmaceutical Society.” 
Mr. Stoddart, the Local Secretary, was requested to forward to the Society a copy of 
the above resolution, to be in time for the Special General Meeting of the members, on 
Wednesday, the 10th inst. 
After a cordial vote of thanks to the Chairman, the meeting separated. 
At a Special Meeting of the Nottingham Chemists’ Association (to which were invited 
the whole of the trade in the town), held at the Town Hall, Friday evening, the 5th 
June, it was resolved unanimously,— 
“ That, in the opinion of this meeting, the Bill now before Parliament, entitled a Bill 
for Decimalizing our existing system of Weights and Measures, should be adopted, as 
tending to reduce the complications now existing to one uniform system of the greatest 
simplicity and completeness. 
“ This meeting would also recommend the adoption in the new Pharmacopoeia of cor¬ 
responding tables of the old and new system to each preparation showing the relative 
weights.” 
At a meeting of the Brighton Chemists’ Association, held June 5, 1863, Mr. R. Noakes 
in the chair, 
“ Resolved,—That although the Brighton Chemists’ Association approve in principle 
of the introduction of the Decimal System of Weights and Measures, practically they 
cannot support the Bill now before Parliament. 
“ Resolved,—That this Association entirely disapproves of the Bill to prohibit the sale 
and Use of Poisoned Grain or Seed, now before the House.” 
At a meeting of Pharmaceutical Chemists at Southampton, held June 9, it was re¬ 
solved unanimously,— 
“ That, in the opinion of this meeting, it is desirable that the Council of the Pharma¬ 
ceutical Society should give their active and strenuous support to the Bill now before 
Parliament for Decimalizing our existing system of Weights and Measures, and for esta¬ 
blishing an accordance between them and those of foreign countries. 
“ Referring to a Bill now before Parliament to prohibit the sale and use of poisoned 
grain, etc., this meeting is of opinion that, as the necessity for such a measure is under¬ 
stood to arise from the practice of destroying small birds by poison, the only restrictions 
called for are such as shall restrain this practice.” 
The Secretary at Exeter had transmitted the names of forty-two persons connected 
with pharmacy in that town who were favourable to the Bill, and of four who were 
unfavourable. 
The Secretary at Plymouth had sent a statement, in which he said that he had com¬ 
municated with all the members of the Society in that town, except one who was absent, 
and he found all but one in favour of the Bill. 
At Lincoln, it appeared that the opinion of the trade was about equally divided ; the 
old-established tradesmen wishing things to remain as they were, while the younger men 
were in favour of the proposed change. 
At Taunton, the members of the trade, on being applied to by the Secretary, with only 
one exception, intimated their approval of the Bill. 
At Sheffield, the opinions of members were very diversified, several being decidedly for 
the Bill, but the majority wishing to avoid the trouble and expense attending the change, 
although they admitted the superiority of the new system if it could be fairly established. 
At Yarmouth, the opinion expressed was opposed to the proposition for petitioning 
Parliament in favour of the Bill, fears being entertained that the confusion and trouble 
attending the change would outweigh any prospective advantages. 
The following petition has also been forwarded for presentation from the Pharmaceu¬ 
tical Chemists of Newcastle-upon-Tyne :— 
“That your petitioners pray that the Bill now before your Honourable House for 
decimalizing weights and measures, may be passed into a law. 
“ That further, should such Bill not be passed in its entirety, your petitioners pray 
that its provisions may become law so far as relates to the compounding of medicines 
and all the operations of pharmacy.” 
Mr. Squire observed a gentleman present, Mr. Yates, wlio had devoted a 
great deal of attention to the subject of weights and measures, and he felt as- 
