308 
PHARMACEUTICAL MEETING. EDINBURGH. 
steady supporters of our meetings, and by their presence and assistance done much to 
render them successful and attractive, and to encourage the younger branches of the 
profession to improve such opportunities of acquiring knowledge, and cultivate an ac¬ 
quaintance with the science as well as the practice of Pharmacy. 
On taking a retrospect of the interval between the last session and the present, I 
think it will appear to many of us, that the event most deserving of notice, in connection 
with our business, is the unexpected failure of our efforts as a Society to obtain further 
and improved legislation respecting the position and qualifications of Pharmaceutists. 
Two Bills for this purpose have been introduced into Parliament—the one promoted 
by the Council and Members of the Pharmaceutical Society, and the other by the United 
Society of Chemists and Druggists—and after considerable discussion remitted to a Select 
Committee. The committee, however, knowing that the session and the Parliament 
were about to expire, seemed to have little heart for the work assigned them, and ac¬ 
cordingly it was tardily entered upon; and though the business of hearing the evidence 
appeared for a time to be prosecuted with zeal, it soon became evident that they had no 
intention to grapple with the subject, so as to bring about a speedy and satisfactory set¬ 
tlement of the questions iirvolved, and hence the work was suddenly abandoned, and a 
report agreed on, recommending the Government to take the matter in hand, and intro¬ 
duce a Bill to regulate the sale of dangerous drugs, and to pro\'ide for the examination 
and registration of all who, after a certain period, desire to assume the title of Chemist 
and Druggist. 
Whatever may be the result of that recommendation, it will be the duty of the Coun¬ 
cil, in London, to watch the action of Government in the matter, so as to secure, as far 
as possible, the objects originally contemplated, to use the influence of the Society in 
support of any movement Avhich promises to be of general benefit, and, Avbich is not less 
important, to prevent unnecessary and impracticable restrictions being placed on the mere 
sale of drugs, Avhich Avould certainly be the result of the adoption of some of the clauses 
of the United Society’s Bill. 
While it is natural that some disappointment should be felt at the apparent want of 
success which has attended this effort of the Pharmaceutical Society to carry out what 
Avas believed to be an important part of its mission, in a manner intended to be bene¬ 
ficial to all engaged in the business of pharmacy, Avhether Pharmaceutical Chemists or 
not, there is no reason to regret that the effort was made, because it has been, in many 
respects, productive of good. It has shown the Society avIio and Avhat it has to contend 
with. It has called public attention to the necessity for a higher pharmaceutical train¬ 
ing, and for testing the qualifications of dispensers of medicine by examination. It has 
brought the character of the Society as an educational institution, its services and ob¬ 
jects, more prominently into view ; the natural result of which is, that the value of its 
diploma is now better understood and appreciated, and will no doubt continue to be so 
in proportion as the medical profession and the public realize the fact that it is a certifi¬ 
cate of qualification, by a Board of competent examiners. 
Notwithstanding this, however, it appears that the desire to obtain a higher educa¬ 
tional standard for Pharmaceutists is in a feAv cases looked upon with some degree of 
suspicion, and fears have been expressed lest by over-education they should be tempted 
to step beyond their proper province, and combine with the practice of pharmacy the 
practice of medicine. Now I believe you will concur with me in thinking that there is 
very little cause for apprehension in that direction, that the real danger to be feared is 
ignorance, which begets rashness, and that the better Ave arc informed, the more likely 
Ave are to see the imprudence of such a course, and therefore to avoid it. But Avhile 
saying this, it must at the same time be admitted that Avhen the Pharmaceutical Chemist, 
or chemist and druggist, is qualified by education to engage in the practice of medicine, 
there can be no serious objection to his doing so; it is just a question of expediency, 
Avbich he must determine for himself; experience, however, being against such a com¬ 
bination, it is rarely tried, and hence we find that even those Pharmaceutists avIio ha\’e 
received a medical education, and hold the diploma of the Royal College of Surgeons, 
confine themselves strictly to their own department. Of this there is ample evidence in 
Scotland ; but looking merely to this branch of the Pharmaceutical Society, Ave find that 
three of the former occupants of this chair were surgeons, none of whom practised me¬ 
dicine, and one of our present examiners is a surgeon, engaged exclusively in the business 
of pharmacy. But while Ave Avish it to be distinctly understood that, as Pharmaceutists, 
