238 
OL’lt EVENING MEETINGS. 
yet,” it is said, u he is scaredy allowed the privilege of suggesting an alteration 
The chemists are declared to have been overlooked and disregarded on account 
of their “ apathy and indifference ,” and to have only themselves to thank u for 
such a moral degradation.' 1 ' 1 We think our older members will not question the truth 
of these remarks, any more than that they will deny the fact that in those days 
the great object was to conceal rather than reveal any improvements which might 
have been worked out or stumbled on in the pursuit of pharmacy, the fortu¬ 
nate discoverers being apparently ignorant of, or indifferent to the fact that in 
comparing notes with our fellow-workers the advantage is generally mutual; 
that it not only increases the knowledge of him who stands forth, as he sup¬ 
poses, to teach, as well as of those who hear, but that it enlarges and liberalizes 
the mind, gives a higher tone to the feelings, and dissipates those asperities and 
jealousies which too often embitter the intercourse between men of the same 
calling. 
While we acknowledge this to have been our former condition, we may cer¬ 
tainly bring our present state into very favourable comparison. Pharmaceutical 
chemists having established union among themselves, are no longer despised or dis¬ 
regarded by the higher branches and members of the medical profession. Through 
our evening meetings we have become better known and respected ; many distin¬ 
guished members of the medical profession and men of science have attended, 
and even assisted in our discussions ; and vastly many more have, through the 
Journal, become acquainted with our proceedings. We are not denied a voice, 
indeed we have been invited to take part, in the compilation of a new Pharma¬ 
copoeia, and we believe our forthcoming text-book will contain ample evidence 
that the science of pharmacy has been advanced by pharmaceutical chemists, and 
that the discussions of our evening meetings have left their impress thereon. And 
while regarding this as the most obvious, but by no means the only evidence of 
the benefits achieved, we must give all credit to those who have worked for such 
advancement. The Journals of past years record the part which has been taken 
by our members in investigating the merits of new remedies, and the improve¬ 
ments which were desirable in old ones ; from time to time, too, we find them 
bringing adulterations and impurities under notice, and we could name medi¬ 
cines in every-day use of which genuine specimens were formerly the exception, 
and are now the rule.; it was but necessary to draw attention to the evil to 
ensure a remedy. The names of these men are too familiar to our readers to 
require mention ; many of them unfortunately we miss from among us now; 
the hand of time has done its work; but some of the very earliest voices are 
still heard occasionally, and w r e would urge our younger members—men who 
have come into the Society with all the advantages of education, proved and 
certified by examination—to take up their strain, that there may be no break 
in the discourse. 
This is clearly our duty for the future. There are “signs in the times” 
which it were madness and folly to neglect. Many of us have doubtless read 
the 52nd Report of the “ General Council of Medical Education and Registra¬ 
tion .” It is all-important to Pharmaceutical Chemists. We there find a recom¬ 
mendation from the Pharmacopoeia Committee that the improvements in medi¬ 
cine and pharmacy should not he allowed to accumulate long without being intro¬ 
duced by authority to the medical profession at large ; and “ to this end the 
Committee advise that—• 
u 1. In each capital of the three divisions of the kingdom respectively, the Branch 
Committee should appoint a person to undertake this duty icho is a medical prac¬ 
titioner, acquainted with the natural history of chemistry and pharmacy. 
u 2. That it should be an instruction to these gentlemen to invite information as 
to improvements in the Pharmacopoeia, from the medical, surgical, and pharma¬ 
ceutical bodies of the several divisions of the country.''' 1 
