PROFESSIONAL COURTESY. 
69 
druggists will be found practically to share, as no judge will henceforth fine one 
who pleads the exigencies of the drug trade as a plea for non-attendance. 
I consider our Society much too hard to enter, and when in, that it gives 
too small an advantage to its members. It is true we have the Journal for our 
guinea per annum, but that is all; for so far as I can see, those in Weymouth 
who are non-members are not one whit behind members in public estimation ; 
and our very right to the title depends on the continuance of our guinea 
subscription. 
I think the great and fundamental error we have committed is in trying to 
obtain a full-fledged, vigorous Society all at once, instead of letting it grow 
naturally, and we have only got as our result an abortion, a hothouse plant, 
which has no principle of self-sustainment, and which cannot bear the roughs 
and realities of life. I don’t object to the looking forward, by-and-by, to even 
more stringent requirements than we have at present, but the thing must grow, 
—not be manufactured. At present we must try back, and what I would sug¬ 
gest is as follows:— 
1st. That a new Act be obtained, making membership compulsory, and recog¬ 
nizing two grades :—(1) Members of the Pharmaceutical Society ; (2) Masters in 
Pharmacy. 
2nd. That all druggists at present in business, and their assistants who have 
actually served an apprenticeship, be invited to have their names enrolled— 
gratuitously—as Members, merely charging the certificate ; and that all existing 
Pharmaceutists, or perhaps only those by examination, be enrolled as Masters. 
3rd. That only a small subscription, say, 10s., be required annually from each 
Member, and that the gratuitous supply of the Journal be discontinued. 
4th. That admission to the Society should in future recognize especially aj>- 
prenticeship, a knowledge of English, Latin, and of the properties and doses of 
drugs. The examination might be gradually made more stringent, and an alto¬ 
gether higher examination provided for Mastership. 
I think these would be sufficient, and be such as we might attain, as all exist¬ 
ing druggists and their assistants would hail such a step; and then the Society 
having once a good root and a real useful existence, its growth would be natural, 
not artificial or forced ; while the Journal itself would greatly improve under 
healthy competition. For myself I can safely say, I get far more practical hints 
from the 4 Chemist ’ than I do from our own Journal. I could mention several 
things from the former by which I save pounds per annum, but I cannot think 
of a single hint in the 4 Pharmaceutical ’ which has been of the least use to me 
in my business. 
I throw out these hints for the purpose of ventilating the subject, and 
would suggest that druggists and their assistants all over the kingdom be 
invited to meet and discuss the matter, we in the meantime furnishing them 
with all the information we can on the subject; and that afterwards a series of 
meetings be held in London, composed of delegates from the local meetings, where 
the matter might be fully discussed and such steps taken as would bring our 
views prominently before the legislature. 
I am, Sir, yours obediently, 
Weymouth, July G, 1863. Thomas Barling. 
PROFESSIONAL COURTESY. 
TO THE EDITOR OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. 
Sir,—Will you allow me a short space to call attention to what I consider a 
great want of courtesy and liberality on the part of one member of our profes- 
