452 
PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY. 
as strongly of opinion as any one present, tliat for the due exercise of the func¬ 
tions of a Pharmaceutical Chemist an elaborate education was necessary; but 
then he considered he had no right to interfere with the opinions of those who 
differed from him. There were numbers of persons, and some of the members 
of the learned professions, who took pills manufactured by known impostors 
because they were advertised in the newspapers, because they thought they did 
them good, and always would take them, though he thought them very foolish, 
and the members of that Society had no right to prevent them. If a man 
thought that Parr’s pills, or any other advertised nostrum, would do him good, 
what right had the Pharmaceutical Society, or any body of men, to step in and 
say he should not do so P Pie believed they had no more right to deprive the 
public of the services of such persons, than they had to prevent their listen¬ 
ing to the teaching of divine truths by illiterate individuals. It might be that 
many men believed that a person who had not received a university educa¬ 
tion was equally capable of teaching the truths of revealed religion as the man 
who had, and they had no 'right to prevent them. Gentlemen appeared to 
think that the most effectual thing for the profession was a compulsory ex¬ 
amination, but he considered they had not shown that they should be the 
persons to apply for such powers. If they wished to i&k for some exclusive 
powers for themselves, do it by all means; but remember at the same time that 
they were not asked to do it by the great body of chemists and druggists. It 
would be time to ask for a Bill authorizing the Society to register them when 
they called upon the Society to do so, but at the present time they might 
think the Society’s proposed proceeding an impertinent interference. 
A Member asked if Mr. Abraham was aware that the Medical Council 
proposed to introduce into Parliament a Bill for the compulsory examination 
and registration of chemists and druggists. 
Mr. Abraham replied that he was aware of their proceedings. He asked 
the members of the Pharmaceutical Society who were desirous of seeing a 
compulsory examination established, if they were ready to take the conse¬ 
quences ? Had it occurred to them why it was that the Medical Council wished 
for such powers? Was it not one of their grievances that chemists and 
druggists interfered with their profession by prescribing medicines,—by under¬ 
taking a duty for which they were not qualified ? He entirely agreed with 
the medical body in that respect; but it was proposed now to go even 
further than that, and he asked them if they were prepared to take the con¬ 
sequences. The medical profession entertained the idea that none but those 
who had passed the 'Colleges of Physicians, Surgeons, and Apothecaries, 
should in future prescribe medicines, and many of them believed that che¬ 
mists and druggists were transgressing that principle when they prepared 
and sold a cough mixture. They complained exceedingly of the encroach¬ 
ments on their rights by prescribing chemists and druggists. He was quite 
of opinion that they ought not to take upon themselves duties for which they 
were not qualified, and he thought they should pause, and well consider, be¬ 
fore they accepted the principle laid down by the Medical Council. He felt 
certain that the chemists and druggists were not prepared to indorse it, be¬ 
cause they were the persons who were most aggrieved and dissatisfied. 
The President said there was one important matter with regard to the 
medical profession that must not be lost sight of. Mr. Abraham had said 
that their Act only gave them a right to a title. How, by the provisions of 
the last Act, no medical man could recover his fees in a court of law unless 
he was registered under that Act. The Medical Act gave greater powers 
and privileges than a mere title. 
Mr. Abraham said he accepted the correction. 
Mr. Giles was of opinion that the question did not admit of two views, 
