THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. 
SECOND SERIES. 
YOL. Y.—No. II.—AUGUST 1st, 1863. 
THE PROPOSED NEW MEDICAL BILL. 
We are not surprised that tlie proposal to introduce a new Medical Bill into 
Parliament, with clauses affecting pharmacy, and restricting the dispensing of 
medicines to men proved to be qualified for the duty, should have excited the 
attention of the Pharmaceutical Body; but we confess we were not prepared for 
the opposition that appears to be threatened to this measure. It cannot be sup¬ 
posed that it was ever contemplated, as some appear to think, that a large pro¬ 
portion of the chemists and druggists throughout the country should be deprived 
of the power of carrying on the business in which they have been engaged for 
many years. Such a proposition would be too preposterous to be entertained for 
a moment, and we think those who have taken alarm in anticipation of such a 
result have very little to justify their hasty conclusions. 
The Bill, in the form in which it has been issued, contains but a rough draft 
of the proposed amendments. It would not be difficult to take exception to the 
warding of some parts of the newly-introduced sections, and to point out omis¬ 
sions which will have to be rectified when the Bill is put into form. In its pre¬ 
sent state, however, it serves to explain the principles which it is proposed to 
carry out, and with reference to which the opinions of the licensing bodies have 
been asked. We have already explained what we conceive to be the objects con¬ 
templated with reference to pharmacy, and they are quite in accordance with 
principles which have always been recognized by the Pharmaceutical Society. 
The adoption of these principles has repeatedly been urged upon chemists and 
druggists in the pages of this Journal, and we feel satisfied that no true friends 
to the Pharmaceutical Body will seek to raise an opposition to the proposed mea¬ 
sure for extending their application. Of course, it is here assumed that this mea¬ 
sure will be based upon a recognition of existing interests among the Pharmaceu¬ 
tical Body, without which, we repeat, no such measure could be carried. It has 
been insinuated that the Pharmaceutical Society would be benefited in some 
especial manner by the proposed Act, and that they therefore have a particular 
interest in promoting the measure. This we entirely deny. Indeed, so far is it 
from being the case, that we have no hesitation in saying that the measure would 
be a far greater boon to those who are without than to those who are within the 
pale of the Society. The principles of the proposed measure are the principles of 
the Pharmaceutical Society, and the members of the Society do not require the 
new Act to enable them to apply these principles, as far as the limited sphere 
of the Society is concerned ; but having adopted and advocated these principles, 
which for the last twenty years the Society, and this Journal as its organ, have 
laboured to uphold and to extend, we are now anxious to see a favourable op¬ 
portunity turned to the best account in furthering that object. We have no ex¬ 
clusive interest in promoting this,—on the contrary, self-interest might dictate a 
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