THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. 
SECOND SERIES. 
VOL. V.—No. NIL—JUNE 1st, 1864. 
THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION AEFECTING PHARMACY. 
The Anniversary Meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society has been held ; it 
has been well attended, and the character and interests of the Society have 
been ably supported and advanced in the discussion which took place upon 
the important subject to which the attention of the members was principally 
directed, and in the final decision which was unanimously arrived at. If some 
slight differences of opinion have existed, and still exist, with reference to one 
or two minor points in the measure about to be proposed to Parliament, it is 
nevertheless most satisfactory to observe that all the members who have taken 
part in the discussion of the subject are actuated by similar motives, and that 
they equally manifest a desire to make any legislative measure that may be 
obtained or sought for as broad and liberal in its basis as is consistent with 
the claims and interests of all the parties concerned. There is no wish mani¬ 
fested by any of our members to adopt a selfish or exclusive policy ; on the 
contrary, there is an obvious tendency in the other direction, the first im¬ 
pulse of those who approach the subject being favourable to the promotion 
of good fellowship with all our brethren. It is only under the stern require¬ 
ments of truth, consistency, and justice, that open-handed concession is re¬ 
strained ; and even now there is the general, if not universal, feeling that 
all that can be done should be done to bring as completely and as speedily 
as possible all the members of the pharmaceutical profession into one orga¬ 
nized and united body. But in doing this, which all desire to see done, the 
recognized principles of our Association must be respected; the professions 
and promises, on the faith of which we have obtained concessions from the 
Government, support from the medical profession, and daily-increasing confi¬ 
dence from the public, must be maintained inviolate, and justified by our 
future conduct. Any act on our part that would be calculated to weaken the 
impression we have so long laboured to produce, that professional qualifica¬ 
tion is a necessary condition for association with our body, would seriously 
damage our cause, and endanger its ultimate success. We are committed to 
a course from which we cannot safely deviate ; and however much our feelings 
may tend to the extension once more of the liberal invitations we have pre¬ 
viously made without avail, we must not forget the terms of past contracts, 
the principles we have avowed, the promises we have made, and the faith that 
has been reposed in our repeated assurances. 
The Bill that has been prepared by the Council has been fully discussed at 
the Anniversary Meeting; and the arguments which were advanced in sup¬ 
port of the measure as it stood, appeared to carry conviction to the minds of 
those who had been prepared to advocate an alteration of one of its provisions. 
The unanimous conclusion arrived at, after a lengthened discussion, was 
creditable alike to all parties, and we trust it will not be without its influence 
vol. v. 2 E 
