PROVINCIAL EXAMINATIONS. 
129 
Chemists would not be promoting their own, as well as the interest of pharmacy, 
were they more generally to adopt the title than they do at present. 
1 am, Sirs, your obedient servant, 
George Pattisox. 
120, St. John Street Road, August 21, 1863. 
[A case illustrating the importance of the above suggestion is reported in the 
1 Observer’ of August 10, in which a juryman, although claiming exemption, as 
being 67 years of age, was fined £5 for refusing to be sworn when his name was 
on the list.— Ed.] 
PROVINCIAL EXAMINATIONS. 
TO THE EDITORS OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. 
Gentlemen,—From time to time there have been letters inserted in your inva¬ 
luable Journal respecting the ways and means of increasing the numerical strength 
of the Society; various as have been the propositions, none of them seem at 
all practicable or likely to be adopted. 
“Provincial examinations” have something plausible about them, but would 
not, I venture to affirm, be the inducement for young men to present themselves 
for examination, as your correspondent (“ Opifex ”) supposes; not to consider 
the inconvenience (rather the impracticability) arising from the inability to 
procure competent and impartial examiners. 
And who, had he prepared for an examination, would not be able to present 
himself before the London Board of Examiners, where there is every requi¬ 
site for testing his knowledge in all the branches connected with pharmacy ? 
Allow me to express an opinion upon this important subject. One of the 
barriers to admission is the existing examination-fees ; obliterate these and you 
will find a number of young men who are qualified, and numbers more who 
would qualify themselves, for an examination ; and having once entered the So¬ 
ciety, would stand by it and pay the annual subscription necessary to its main¬ 
tenance. The great indifference manifested by members to apprentices and as¬ 
sistants connecting themselves is most baneful to the interests of the Society. 
Very few indeed there are who give specified time for scientific studies. This 
surely ought not to be the case where an apprenticeship is entered upon and a 
moderate premium paid; it is naturally expected by parents and guardians that 
the scientific part of the business, theoretical and practical, will be implanted,— 
at the least, every encouragement given. 
I am now speaking of apprentices ; of course, assistants could not expect time 
given to them from the regular hours of business, unless by special agreement, 
and in many establishments measures of this kind may be arranged. 
I would, in conclusion, appeal to members universally that they put forth 
every inducement to encourage all aspirants, yea, to arouse those who are indif¬ 
ferent, that the interests of the Society be advanced ; that young men be quali¬ 
fied for the exigencies of the times ; that they be not the scorn of medical men, 
but meet the want of that profession in their practical manipulations and scien¬ 
tific knowledge. 
I submit these few remarks for insertion in your Journal, hoping not to have 
trespassed upon your invaluable space. 
Yours faithfully, 
Progress. 
Brighton, August 21 , 1803 . 
