PHARMACEUTICAL MEETING, EDINBURGH. 
309 
none of us engage in what is called “ practice,” it is surely carrying the matter further 
than is necessary or desirable, to expect that we should invariably refuse to give advice, 
even in trifling ailments which obviously do not require the exercise of medical skill, 
because it is almost impossible to avoid it, and because it is due to our own position to 
show, when we are asked, that we know something of the nature and doses of medicines, 
and the usual modes of administering them, and in this way secure the good opinion of 
our patrons, not only without interfering with the duties of the qualified practitioner, 
but in a way which tends rather to aid his efforts ; for when applications are made to us 
for advice and medicine in cases of importance, they generally, if not invariably, result 
in a recommendation to call in medical assistance, and thus in many instances early and 
proper treatment is obtained which might otherwise be delayed, or altogether neglected. 
I do not allude to this subject for the purpose of obtaining credit for generosity and for¬ 
bearance in refusing to undertake the treatment of medical cases, but rather to prevent 
misconceptions as to our real views and practice, to indicate the course which we have 
followed hitherto, and to which we believe it is our interest steadily to adhere. 
You will no doubt have observed with pleasure that the Benevolent Fund is rapidly 
becoming an important and valuable institution in connection with our Society, and 
likely to be of great benefit to those of our members who, from any cause, may be un¬ 
fortunate in business, and thus require its aid. I would heartily commend it to the 
favourable consideration of all the members, but especially of those in Scotland, who, I 
fear, have not yet given it the attention and support which it deserves. Let us hope 
that this will no longer be the case, and that there will be a large increase in the num¬ 
ber and amount of the subscriptions. It is desirable and highly proper that a portion of 
our liberality should be turned in this direction, and that the more prosperous among us 
should give of their abundance to relieve the wants of their less fortunate brethren, who, 
though perhaps honest and industrious, and at one time contributors to the funds of the 
Society, may yet have been unable to provide anything for old age, or misfortune, or 
those beloved objects who, by their death, may be deprived of their sole means of 
support. 
In common with the rest of the trade, I have no doubt we w r ere all surprised to hear 
of the prosecutions commenced in London in connection with the sale of capsuled goods, 
and the alleged infringement of Betts’s patent, for the manufacture of the metal of 
which the capsules are made,—the unreasonableness and injustice of which strike one 
as almost too great to be believed. Unfortunately, however, there is no room to doubt 
the fact, a large number of bills in Chancery having already been filed, and several cases 
settled by compromise. While we have to congratulate ourselves on the fortunate cir¬ 
cumstance that the patent does not extend to Scotland, and that in the meantime at 
least, we have no cause for alarm, our English brethren may be assured that they have 
our cordial sympathy, and that we earnestly desire their speedy deliverance from such 
oppression. It appears uncertain how the law of the case stands in England, but it is 
hardly possible to imagine, that even under the patent such proceedings could be at¬ 
tended with success in Scotland. Hence it is to be hoped that the equity of the case 
would be considered, not only as regards the rights and interests of the patentee, but as 
regards the rights and interests of the public, who are entitled to protection from such 
unjust exactions. It surely cannot be expected that in order to obtain this, we should 
make ourselves acquainted with the specifications of patents, or the various kinds and 
composition of capsules, which it is impossible, by ordinary means, to distinguish from 
one another. There would neither be comfort nor safety in conducting our business, if 
such a state of things were allowed to exist, because the contents of the bottle, the bottle 
itself, the cork, the label, the paper top, might, for anything we know, be all infringe¬ 
ments of patents; and therefore it is not enough for our friends in England to endeavour 
to protect themselves by destroying the dangerous capsules, or refusing to take them into 
stock; they ought to carry out their intention to try the case, for they can hardly fail to 
establish their non-liability for the acts of others over whom they have no control, and 
of the fact, the nature or the degree of whose culpability they have no knowledge what¬ 
ever. 
As you are all aware, another Pharmaceutical Conference has lately been hqld at 
Birmingham, at which a greatly increased number of members were present, and looking 
to the variety and excellence of the papers read, the practical importance cf many of the 
subjects, and the ability and research displayed by the authors, it was successful even 
