590 
PROPOSED LEGISLATION AFFECTING PHARMACY. 
upon tliose whose interests were so warmly advocated, and whose co-opera* 
tion we may fairly claim. 
On the Council now devolves the responsible duty of promoting this 
measure. They have been urged to undertake it not only by a large number 
of the members of the Society, but by chemists and druggists unconnected 
with their Association, and by members of the medical profession, whose 
opinions are entitled to the highest respect and consideration. It cannot be 
said that the Council, or even that the Society they represent, have spon¬ 
taneously taken the position they now seek to occupy with reference to this 
subject. All parties seem to have coincided in the opinion that if the dis¬ 
pensers of medicine are to be subjected to special legislative interference, any 
measure with that object ought to be carried into effect through the instru¬ 
mentality of those who most fully represent the interests of the pharmaceutical 
body, and it is in this capacity that the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society 
have been urged to undertake such a responsibility. 
The proposition to legislate with reference to pharmacy, on which the 
present movement has been founded, originated, it will be recollected, some 
twelve months ago, with the Medical Council. It was proposed to give to 
the Medical Council the power of controlling the exercise of pharmacy, and 
of regulating the qualifications of those engaged in tiie practice of pharmacy. 
No formal objection was made to this proposition by the Council or the 
members of the Pharmaceutical Society; but those from whom the scheme 
originated have since found that it involved more than they are inclined to 
commit themselves to, and they are now very ready to hand over the respon¬ 
sibilities connected with the execution of the scheme to the Pharmaceutical 
Society. In the discussion of the subject at a meeting of the Medical Council, 
Dr. Storrar, the representative of the University of London, said, “Nothing 
could certainly be more unsatisfactory than the state of Pharmacy in this 
country; but it would be an unfortunate act of the Council to embroil itself 
with the druggists. The Council should drop pharmacy, and encourage the 
Pharmaceutical Society to go on with an independent measure.” Dr. Sharpey, 
one of the Secretaries of the Itoyal Society, and a Member of the Council 
nominated by the Government, was in favour of independent legislation for 
pharmacy, and its separation from medical legislation. Mr. Pumsey, who is 
also a member nominated by the Government, “ was in favour of the objection 
made by the 'pharmaciens in the country, either that they were the proper per¬ 
sons to regulate their own affairs, or that the Government should do it. He 
did not see how the management of pharmacy could be committed to a council 
in which th q pharmaciens were not represented.” Dr. Christison “ disapproved 
of any attempt to introduce pharmacy into the Medical Act. The present state 
of the practice of pharmacy was a disgrace to the country and to the Legislature. 
He hoped, however, that the Council would not meddle with the subject, 
except by offering its aid and influence to any body which should take up the 
subject of legislation in regard to pharmacy ; and he thought that this could 
be entrusted to no better persons than the pharmaceutical chemists of the 
country.” 
It is thus obvious that the Pharmaceutical Society is placed in a position 
in which it is expected to take some active steps in the direction of pharma¬ 
ceutical legislation ; and at no period have circumstances appeared so favour¬ 
able as they now appear for the accomplishment of one of the principal objects 
for which our Association was formed. One of the last acts of the Medical 
Council in the Session which has recently terminated, was to pass a resolu¬ 
tion, “That a communication be addressed to the Secretary of State for the 
Home Department, drawing his attention to the present defective state of 
the law regarding the practice of pharmacy, under which any x3erson, however 
