PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY. 
44 6 
body of chemists and druggists. The subject was discussed by them three or 
four years since, when they stated their wish to admit outside men to the pri¬ 
vileges of the Society, but the Solicitor had informed them it could not be 
done. He thought the time was now come when they should ask Parliament 
to convert their voluntary powers into compulsory ones. The question was, 
how was it to be done P How he was disposed to open the door, as wide as it 
could be consistently done, having regard to the interests of the Pharmaceu¬ 
tical Chemist and those who had been established in business for a very long 
time ; and he was glad that the Medical Council had so far taken up the 
question as to intrude it on our notice, which would have the effect of 
thoroughly ventilating it, and probably result in our obtaining an Act of Par¬ 
liament, making it compulsory on all chemists and druggists to pass an exa¬ 
mination before commencing business. He was instrumental in calling a 
meeting of chemists and druggists at Dudley, which contrasted most favoura¬ 
bly with the noisy and undignified meeting held at Birmingham under the 
auspices of the United Society of Chemists and Druggists. At the latter meet¬ 
ing there appeared to be a desire on the part of the local secretary to excite 
opposition to the Pharmaceutical Society on the one hand, and an endeavour 
on the other hand to create an ill-feeling between the medical profession and 
the chemists and druggists ; but he was happy to say, that notwithstanding 
that, he could vouch for the fact that many of the chemists and druggists 
present at that meeting expressed their readiness to join this Society, if it 
could by possibility be done. He believed that to be the general feeling 
of the body throughout the country. There were many outside the Society 
who were competent to dispense medicines, and to conduct their business 
equally as well as its members, and for his part, he should like to see the 
whole of them admitted; and it was a gratifying fact to him to find that out 
of the 300 or 400 members who had signed the requisition asking the Council 
to call that meeting, between 70 and 80 of them had passed the Society’s exa¬ 
mination. He looked upon it as an act of high liberality on their part, and 
as showing that they were content to rest their claims to public support on 
the honourable distinction they had so attained. He should like to see all 
chemists and druggists who were in business prior to. 1852 or 1853, admitted 
into the Society on the payment of a certain fee ; nay more, he would 
even go so far as to admit those who had commenced business since, if they 
were considered competent men. He would also extend the privileges of the 
Society to the assistants and students; leaving the details as to fees, etc., to 
the Council. His advice to the Society was to open the door so wide as to 
meet all the requirements of the profession, and by so doing hold, as they 
ought to do, the front position in the foremost rank, and not allow the United 
Society or any other body to cut the ground from under their feet. .The pro¬ 
posal of the Medical Council, which was published in the Journal for July, 
1863, he was under an impression for some time, had been quietly shelved, 
and he was so much surprised at its attempted revival, that he called the local 
meeting to which he had alluded. He rejoiced now to find that it was per¬ 
manently shelved, so far as the interests of the Pharmaceutical Chemists were 
concerned. He however looked upon it as an unjust interference with their 
business, more especially with regard to the patent medicine branch, and he 
was very glad the Bill had been withdrawn. In the black country there were 
numerous shopkeepers who sold domestic medicines, and many articles used 
in business which come under the denomination of drugs; but he thought there 
would be great difficulty in meeting those cases ; and although they might get 
powers for the compulsory examination of those who had to dispense or pre¬ 
pare medicines, he was afraid they would never get powers to stop the sale 
of those articles by small shopkeepers, that so much interfered with the 
