OUR EVENING MEETINGS. 
429 
that the labour of the officials would be considerably lessened ; that the advance 
in the country from 5 - 9 . to 10s. would restrict the sale practically to a better class 
of tradesmen ; and that a certain present injustice would be remedied, inas¬ 
much as patent medicines have a larger sale in the country than in London. 
When I come to No. 2, I feel that “ Registered Chemists and Druggists ” 
could never ask for such a monopoly. 
No. 3 I do not comprehend, inasmuch as I know of no “ law imposed on the 
sale of other medicines,” unless you are thinking of such as contain poison. 
No. 4. Increase the value of stamps if you like. Quackery is fair game, 
and money must be had. 
But, beyond all, whatever you do, let the laws regarding proprietary medi¬ 
cines be consolidated; let it be distinctly known what makes a medicine liable 
to duty ; and let the term “ patent,” which has become a misnomer, give place 
to “ proprietary,” which is now a proper description of the preparations sold 
under the protection of a stamp. 
I have accepted your invitation to express an opinion early, because I know 
if the subject is to come before Parliament next year, the present is the time to 
speak. _ 
With much respect, I am, Sir, yours, etc. 
December , 1869. Utile. 
OUR EVENING MEETINGS. 
BY A. F. HASELDEN. 
“ Once more unto the breach, dear Mends, once more.” 
Some years have passed away since I first offered a few remarks upon 
our evening meetings, addressed not only to those who were willing and 
able, and by their works had proved themselves so, to contribute towards 
making those meetings interesting, instructive, and successful in carrying 
out the object in view, when they were originally instituted,—to those also 
who might feel that they had done their share of work and desired to make 
way for younger men, whose studies were of a more recent chaiacter, and lastly, 
to encourage those who from diffidence or timidity might hesitate in bringing 
for discussion subjects interesting to them, but of doubtful importance to others. 
I venture to make myself conspicuous once more with a similar object, indeed 
I feel no hesitation about it,—at these monthly gatherings, there is a fair and 
legitimate opportunity for comparing notes and working out pharmaceutical 
problems, for which, perhaps, there is no time or place more suitable. To this 
interchange of ideas all Conferences tend, whether held at Exeter or Vienna, 
where then can a better nursery, if I may so say, for these interchanges be found 
than in the lecture hall of our own Institution, where the very discussion which 
naturally follows the reading of a paper leads to a fuller development of the 
subject? Not many years ago, there existed in connection with the parent So¬ 
ciety a chemical discussion association, composed chiefly of young aspiring phar¬ 
maceutists and chemists, and in one year of its proceedings it was a notorious 
fact, that the greater portion of the papers read at our evening meetings and 
<?ood papers, too—emanated from this branch, since then extinct; and though 
I should not rejoice to see it re-established, I ask, whither has fled the spirit 
which prompted these young and assiduous labourers, and why do not fresh 
ones enter the arena ? I see before me visions of former evenings, and I see 
also attached thereto incentives to wider fields of inquiry, and the stepping- 
stones to future enterprise and appointments. I see the career of some widen¬ 
ing year by year, until success may truly be said to have crowned their unyield¬ 
ing efforts. 
