THE PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY. 
G17 
ever that they had agitated the question, but he thought they must be content to 
rest on their honours for a short time longer. He was convinced that in the long- 
run they must make way, and so highly was the distinction of a Pharmaceutical Che¬ 
mist valued, that he had had assistants who had got up of a morning and made their own 
coffee, in order to attend the lectures at that Institution. It was all very well to talk 
about persecution, but he. for one, approved of persecuting lazy assistants. 
Mr. Hump age denied that the present movement was of an oppressive character, and 
the argument that they wished to put the chemists and druggists into a different position 
was absurd, because they were at present in a different position to the Pharmaceutical 
Chemist. The broad and distinctive difference between the two classes was that the 
Pharmaceutical Chemist was an intelligent and educated chemist; and notwithstanding 
the few that were sent out annually from the Society, its influence was being largely felt; 
it was, in fact, a leaven that was affecting the whole body. It had been said that only three 
hundred of those who were registered had passed an examination, but he was informed that 
between eight hundred and nine hundred had passed an examination, and these no doubt 
were leavening the whole body. No doubt it was a great mistake in their Act not to com¬ 
pel all who had passed an examination to continue members of the Society. But many 
had not done so. They had safely passed over the bridge into the land of Goshen, 
and now they objected to pay a sixpence to keep it in repair for others to pass over. 
There were two classes of Pharmaceutical Chemists, those who were the founders of 
the Society, and those who had passed an examination. He unquestionably was no better 
qualified than many of the present outsiders, but he had cheerfully paid his money to¬ 
wards the perpetuation of the Society, whilst others had pooh-poohed it, and therefore 
he did not see why these men, now that they found it was a valuable thing, should come 
in and enjoy the privileges to the fullest extent which., the founders and members pos¬ 
sessed. These men, after a lapse of twenty-two years, and when they saw there was 
something more than a name in “ Pharmaceutical Chemist,” that there were advantages 
to be gained by it, said it was a very dog-in-the-manger principle not to let them come 
in on the very easy terms they wished, but he did not think so. He quite agreed with 
what Mr. Edwards had said, and referring to Mr. Waugh’s remark, he could add that he 
also had had young men who had got up cheerfully, gone without their breakfasts to be 
able to attend the Institution, and the result was that they were rising every year in their 
profession and were taking a position such as they never could have done but for the as¬ 
sistance of the Society. Now there were two classes of outsiders, one who was better than 
the other in point of education. Now it was to be regretted that these men were not 
members of the Society, and many of them did regret it, and what he said to them was, 
“ Come to the Society, let bygones be bygones, register yourselves, and if you don’t feel 
disposed to attend the lectures and pass an examination, send your children here and 
induce all your assistants and apprentices to do the same.” The advantage of what they 
now proposed was exemplified in the working of the Legislature with regard to the medi¬ 
cal profession. According to the last census returns the medical profession had not in¬ 
creased in numbers, but the chemists and druggists had increased to the extent of 17 per 
cent., which was solely attributable to their having raised the standard. Whereas, any 
man who disliked greengrocery, tailoring, or shoemaking, and thought the coloured bot¬ 
tles looked very pretty at night, and so long as he could spell “two tablespoonfuls,” 
considered he was fit to be a chemist and druggist. It was to the want of a standard 
of education that they had attributed the great increase in their numbers; and there was 
scarcely a town they went into but they found about double as many chemists and drug¬ 
gists as could get a living by their legitimate trade, and they were driven, as sensible men 
who had families to maintain, to sell broomsticks, fishing-rods, and the like. He did not 
blame them for selling those articles, or speak of it disparagingly, but only as illustrating a 
system that required alteration and improvement. Now the present chemists and drug¬ 
gists ought to co-operate with this Society, and take no apprentices who had not first 
undergone a preliminary examination ; the consequence of which would be to send all 
the greengrocers, tailors, and shoemakers to the right-about, and bring in only educated 
men. Those were the men they wanted to join the Society, and it was because they did 
not that their rooms were so empty. In order to get rid of future ignoramuses they must 
go to Parliament for extended powers ; but he was afraid they would spend money with¬ 
out being successful unless some of the respectable outsiders came to their assistance. 
Without that he feared the opposition would be too great, and they should have next 
