68 
THE ERROR AND THE REMEDY. 
vexatious Medicine Stamp Act and the visits of Inland Revenue informers, and 
will permit a proper label to be affixed to medicines, giving necessary informa¬ 
tion to the public, which under the present system cannot be effected, I see no 
objection to the clause, understanding that the sale of medicines already known 
will not be interfered with. 
A short time ago I had occasion to make inquiry respecting the admission of 
medicines to Russia. I enclose the regulation. 
Extrait du Tarif General des DouaneS de VEmpire de Russie , de Vannee 1857, 
page xvi. § 4. 
“ § 4. Pour l’admission des substances pharmaceutiques ou medicaments pre¬ 
pares inconnus, ou bien deja connus mais non denommes dans ce tableau, il est 
de rigueur qu’un echantillon soit p^esente au Departement du Commerce ex- 
terieur, lequel en referera aux autorites competentes pour les affaires de la 
medecine, afin que le dit echantillon soit assimile a Particle du present tableau 
qui a la plus d’analogie avec rechantillon.” 
I am, Sir, 
Yours respectfully, 
65, Bury Neiv Road, Manchester. Wm. Jabez Halliday. 
THE ERROR AND THE REMEDY. 
TO THE EDITOR OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. 
Sir,—As an old member of the Pharmaceutical Society, I ask permission to 
occupy some of your space ; and I write on a subject which claims attention not 
only from Pharmaceutical Chemists, but from the trade in general. That to 
which I wish to draw the attention of your readers is (1) the lamentable 
failure of our Society to accomplish the objects for which it was founded ; and 
(2) to offer some hints for improvement. 
We see from the July number of our Journal, after an existence of nearly 
twenty years, how very small a proportion Pharmaceutical Chemists bear to 
Druggists in general. We see that outsiders are quite shut out; and we have 
the experience that our legislators will not allow of any exclusive legislation by 
which an examination will be made compulsory, which is far beyond the pre¬ 
sent attainments of the bulk of those interested, and the majority of whom are 
well able to conduct their several businesses. Let us seek to find out wherein 
we err, and what is the remedy; and as in the multitude of counsel there is 
wisdom, I venture to make the following hints:—It appears to me we have 
aimed a great deal too high all at once, and have quite overshot our mark. 
What is really required is, that none should be allowed to practise pharmacy 
who have not a good practical knowledge of the drugs they deal in, and of the 
language in which prescriptions are written. But what we try to obtain is, a 
.theoretical knowledge of many other things besides, and that from a body of 
youths and men who have positively nothing but honour to gain from their toil 
and outlay; for, so far as my experience goes, non-members are equally suc¬ 
cessful in business, and non-associates or assistants, as their conforming brethren. 
Indeed, I am not by any means sure that I should consider association with our 
Society any recommendation to an assistant. I would much rather take one 
from a good house of business than from the Pharmaceutical Laboratory, and I 
know such a feeling is very general in the trade, especially where anything like 
an extensive country business is done. And then the advantages which we as 
members gain in exemption from service on juries, is really one in which all 
